Southwest monsoon to begin this weekend

The southwest monsoon is expected to begin this Saturday and continue until mid-September.

Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) director-general Muhammad Helmi Abdullah said during this period, the winds would blow consistently from the southwest with lower air humidity and stable atmospheric conditions.

“This will result in a lack of rain cloud formation and cause most places across the country to experience more days without rain than other seasons, as well as produce low rainfall distribution,” he said in a statement today.

He said heavy rain with strong winds and lightning due to the squall line phenomenon could still occur on the west coast of the peninsula and west Sabah in the early morning and could last up to several hours.

During this period, the haze phenomenon can also occur if open burning is not controlled, especially from August to October.

Helmi advised the public to use water prudently during this period.

Information on the latest weather conditions can be accessed through the MetMalaysia website, myCuaca mobile application and social media. For further inquiries, the public can also call the Malaysian Meteorological Department hotline at 1-300-22-1638.