Climate change and freak weather
Dark skies: Malaysia is currently undergoing the inter-monsoon period until May. — SAMUEL ONG/The Star
PETALING JAYA: Thunderstorms and heavy rainfall are normal during the inter-monsoon season but this time, the weather has been far more vicious.
Weather experts say climate change and a warming planet could be the reasons for these violent thunderstorms.
While the pattern is normal, the thunderstorms may be more extreme due to the influence of global warming and climate change, said climatologist Prof Dr Fredolin Tangang.
'Last year, the global mean temperature exceeded the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C threshold,' he noted.
'With this kind of warming, we have more moisture in the air and, together with increasing heat, thunderstorms and heavy rainfalls can become stronger and more frequent.'
He pointed out that with the country undergoing the inter- monsoon period between now and May, thunderstorms and heavy rainfall episodes are typical, especially in the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia, during this period.
'This can cause more flash floods,' he added.
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Tangang, who is also an Academy of Sciences Malaysia Fellow, also noted that the Pacific region is at the Enso-neutral phase, meaning there are no anomalous conditions such as El Nino or La Nina.
'We don't expect any significant influence from the Pacific Ocean during the Enso-neutral phase,' he said.
According to National Antarctica Research Centre climatologist Prof Datuk Dr Azizan Abu Samah, heavy rainfall usually occurs along the west coast during pre-dawn.
He said the recent violent storms could be due to the formation of cumulonimbus clouds, which are driven to the coastal areas by the westerly wind in the early morning.
Azizan added, however, that it is difficult to say if the current weather in the country is out of the ordinary despite the Pacific ocean being at the Enso-neutral phase.
On the increasing flash floods in the Klang Valley, he said this is also due to rapid urbanisation, which results in increased surface run-off.
Meanwhile, MetMalaysia has issued a statement that the inter-monsoon phase started on March 25, marking the end of the northeast monsoon period.
The inter-monsoon period, it explained, usually brings sudden burst of winds and heavy showers during the late evening and night.
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