The weather has been exceptionally hot these past couple of days, and unfortunately, it looks like this humid season is not only going to continue for the next few months, it is expected to get worse.
Just recently, according to a report by The Malay Mail, the Meteorological Department of Malaysia stated that scorching hot weather in our country is caused by a weather phenomenon called El Niño.
So what is El Niño?
To quote Expat Go, the El Niño phenomenon occurs when “the complex relationship between wind, ocean currents, and atmospheric temperatures effects weather conditions around the world, resulting in warmer than usual weather in the Pacific region.”
As a result, the Malaysian Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation has issued a press release stating that rainfall is expected to be reduce by 20%-60%, and the ambient temperature will see an increase of 0.5-2.0°C (0.9-3.6°F). This will likely persist until the end of March.
In order to stay healthy, here is a precautionary guideline on what warning signs to look out for as well as advice on how to cope during this dry spell:
In addition, you should also consider reducing outdoor activities and avoiding water wastage where possible. Maybe even invest in a big water storage tank in case the need for water rationing comes up.
But be careful to avoid any stagnant water that would encourage mosquitoes to breed. There has been way too many dengue cases already this year.
Sources: Astro Awani, Rojak Pot, Expat Go/ Featured image from Toodia.my.
