KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 14 — The North-east Monsoon, which began yesterday, is expected to continue until March next year, with Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang forecast to be the first states to experience prolonged heavy rain.
According to Bernama, MetMalaysia deputy director-general (Operations) Ambun Dindang said the monsoon, which moves from north to south, typically affects these three states first from November to December, before spreading to Pahang and Johor in the next phase.
“When we enter December and January, continuous rainfall is expected to focus on southern Terengganu, Pahang and Johor. Sabah and Sarawak may also be affected depending on the monsoon’s movement,” he said on RTM’s Selamat Pagi Malaysia.
He said continuous monitoring is carried out via satellite images updated every 10 minutes, along with 19 weather radars nationwide, to detect rain cloud formations and monsoon surges that are the main drivers of heavy rainfall.
“A monsoon surge refers to strong winds blowing from the South China Sea that gather moisture before producing continuous rain for one to three days. This is what often triggers floods,” he said.
MetMalaysia is also monitoring low-pressure systems that could increase rainfall, as well as global phenomena such as La Niña, El Niño, the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) and the Madden–Julian Oscillation (MJO).
Commenting on Typhoon Fung Wong, which struck the Philippines and Vietnam in early November, he said the typhoon did not have a direct impact on Malaysia, although Sabah experienced some spillover effects, causing rough seas in the South China Sea.
“Typhoon Kalmaegi previously tracked slightly further south and affected Sabah. Fung Wong, however, moved further north, so its impact on Malaysia is not significant. Nonetheless, the South China Sea remains turbulent and a marine warning has been issued,” he said.
He also advised the public, especially those in flood-prone areas, to stay alert to current information and obtain the latest warnings via the MyCuaca app, as well as MetMalaysia’s official website and social media channels.