PETALING JAYA: The year has just begun, but it is already experiencing temperatures almost “two times hotter” than last year. The number of high temperature alerts issued by the Malaysian Meteorological Department in 2024 has surpassed last year’s total, almost doubling the figure from 2023.
As of April 4, 2024, a total of 748 alerts have been issued for soaring temperatures across various areas in Malaysia, exceeding the 2023 total of 397 alerts. On the day with the highest number of alerts this year, March 25, 47 areas were warned of the intense heat.
In 2023, the day with the most alerts was May 13. This year, most (94.8%) of the 748 alerts were under Level 1, with 39 orange or Level 2 alerts issued by April 4. This is a significant increase from 2023 when only two Level 2 alerts were issued, both for Jeli in Kelantan.
Perliss has received the most Level 2 alerts in 2024 with 11 counts, followed by Pokok Sena in Kedah with nine alerts. Baling in Kedah has been identified as the “hottest” place in Malaysia this year, receiving 41 out of 53 total alerts on the heatwave from the department.
From March 13 to 29, Baling in Kedah experienced 17 consecutive days of alerts on the hot weather, coinciding with the start of the fasting month of Ramadan on March 12. Despite the peak of the heatwave on March 25, the duration of the hot weather remains uncertain.
The department anticipated a transition in the monsoon phase from March 29 to May, characterized by weak winds forming thunderstorms that typically bring heavy rain and strong winds. This transition could mark the gradual end of the heatwave by mid-April. Here is a timeline of how the heatwave alerts have evolved:
