By South China Morning Post | Created at 2026-07-20 04:31:38 | Updated at 2026-07-20 23:13:05
18 hours ago
Malaysia is expected to see record high temperatures next year as El Nino strengthens, its meteorological department has said.
The El Nino phenomenon is a natural part of the weather cycle, characterised by weakening trade winds and warmer sea currents in the Pacific Ocean.
Climate experts have warned of a strong or super-strong El Nino this year, raising risks of severe weather such as droughts, floods and heatwaves.
Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip, director general of Malaysia’s Meteorological Department, said the agency had forecast El Nino to peak between March and May 2027, with maximum temperatures expected to exceed the local record of 40.1 degrees Celsius (104.2 degrees Fahrenheit) set in 1998 in Chuping, in the northern state of Perlis.
What is a ‘super’ El Nino?
Malaysia had seen average temperatures climb since the 1980s, with the highest peaks often recorded during “super” El Nino events, Mohd Hisham said in an interview.
