Hot spell expected until April

KUALA LUMPUR: The current hot weather is expected to persist until mid-April following the lack of rain-bearing clouds and the equinox phenomenon that is expected to occur this Wednesday in a changing of the season.

The Malaysian Meteorological Department’s (METMalaysia) deputy director-general (Strategic and Technical) Ambun Dindang said that during the (spring) equinox, there will be equal time of day and night, as the sun is directly overhead on the Equatorial line and crosses from the southern to the northern hemisphere.

Ambun said during this transitory period, temperatures can hover between 35 and 38 degrees Celsius, depending on the presence of clouds and rain at that time.

“After March 20, the sun is positioned north of the Equator including in Malaysia, so we expect the temperatures to remain high until April because the position of the sun is north of the Equator,” he said.

He said this after appearing as a guest on Bernama Radio’s programme on World Meteorological Day (global cooperation in meteorology) at Wisma Bernama Monday.

In the meantime, he said in conjunction with the World Meteorological Day on March 23, his department will hold a celebration today (Mar 19) at the METMalaysia headquarters at 9 am.

Among the events planned for today are the presentation of awards to prominent meteorological figures, the broadcast of a podcast entitled “Berbicara dengan Langit” (‘Talking to the Sky’), and distribution of Bubur Lambuk (Ramadan porridge) to METMalaysia staff. — Bernama