The usage of weather information in decision making

MALAYSIAN METEOROLOGICAL DEPARTMENT
MINISTRY OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION
MALAYSIAN METEOROLOGICAL DEPARTMENT
MINISTRY OF SCIENCE ,TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION
JALAN SULTAN, 46667, PETALING JAYA
SELANGOR, MALAYSIA
+603- 7967 8000
www.met.gov.my
+603- 7955 0964
mmd@met.gov.my
OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION
 General Information
 Natural Hazard in Malaysia
 Dissemination of weather information/
forecast/ warning
 Additional Utilisation of Weather/
Climate Information
Conclusion
GENERAL INFORMATION
Climate of Malaysia :
 Uniform temperature (max. 330C, min. 230C)
 High humidity (70 – 90 %)
 Average annual rainfall is 2,400 mm for Peninsular
Malaysia, 3,800 mm for Sarawak and 2,600 mm
for Sabah
 Winds are generally light
 2 monsoon’s season (2 Inter-monsoon period in
between)
• Northeast Monsoon (Nov – Mar)
• Southwest Monsoon (May – Sept)
• 2 Inter-Monsoon (April & Oct)
DATA ACQUISITION
WEATHER CAMERA
STATION (17)
METEOROLOGICAL STATION
(45)
UPPER AIR STATION (8)
RADAR STATION (12)
GROUND
RECEIVING
STATION (1)
AUXILIARY STATIONS(339)
• AWS (141)
• Climatological Station (39)
• Rainfall Station (159)
SERVICES PROVIDED
Weather Forecasts
Marine
Meteorology &
Oceanography
Climatology
Agrometeorology
Seismology & Tsunami
Warnings
Weather Modification
Environmental
Meteorology
Training
Main Meteorological Offices (10)
Kota Kinabalu
RMAF Gong Kedak
RMAF Butterworth
Bayan Lepas
Labuan
RMAF Kuantan
Subang
KLIA
Central Forecast Office
Petaling Jaya
Kuching
Gong Kedak Meteorological Office
KLIA Meteorological Office
Central Forecasting Office
Northeast Monsoon
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Northeast monsoon season is the
major period of heavy rain activity
over the east coast states of
Peninsular Malaysia and west
Sarawak
November – March
Steady easterly and northeasterly
(10-20 knots)
Cold surges from Siberia
(> 30 knots)
Monsoon weather systems which
develop in conjunction with cold air
outbreaks from Siberia produce
rains that last for days and often
cause severe floods over east coast
peninsular and Sarawak
Southwest Monsoon
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May – September
Winds are southwesterly and light (< 15 knots)
Stable atmospheric condition in the Equatorial region
Drier season except for State of Sabah
Sabah is wetter due to the tail effect of typhoons
TAIL EFFECT BY TC
TROPICAL CYCLONE TRACKS
NATURAL HAZARD IN MALAYSIA
Weather related Hazards
 Floods / Flash Floods
 Strong Wind and Rough Sea
 Thunderstorms / Lightings
 Tropical Storms / Typhoons
 Landslides
 Forest Fires / Haze
 Droughts
Geophysical Hazards
 Earthquakes
 Local / Regional Tsunamis
 Landslides
MAJOR DISASTERS FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS
Year
Disaster
2009(Jan)
Flood
8470
2008
Flood
10210
2008
Landslide
11
2007
Flood
33
158000
225m
2006
Flood
19
138000
343m
2005
Flood
17
100000
66m
2005
Mud flood
3
2793
Kota Tinggi, Johor was severely
flooded
Killed
Injured
15
Total
affected
Damage
(USD)
1422
Segamat, Johor was severely flooded
Northeast Monsoon (Nov – Mac)
FLOOD
Inter-Monsoon (Apr-May & Sep-Oct)
FLASH FLOOD
Severe Weather & Season in Malaysia
Southwest Monsoon (Jun – Aug)
HAZE
Strong Wind and Rough Sea
Landslides and Flash Flood Caused by
Severe Thunderstorms/Heavy Rain
Forest Fire and Haze
DROUGHT IMPACT BY EL NINO DURING 1997 & 1998
TROPICAL STORM GREG 1996
TS GREG TRACKED
SATELLITE IMAGERY
• on the Christmas night of 1996
• the death toll to 182 and destroyed
more than 4,000 houses
• left some 3,000 people homeless
with 200 to 300 migrants missing
• wind recorded a maximum of 75
km/h and blew several hours before
dissipating and moving east
TROPICAL STORM VAMEI 2001
 developed on December 26 at 1.4° N in the
South China Sea
 strengthened quickly and made landfall
along extreme southeastern Malaysia
dissipated over Sumatra
 the intensity of Vamei is disputed; some
agencies classify it as a typhoon
 storm brought flooding and landslides to
eastern Malaysia, causing $3.6 million in
damage (2001 USD, $4.33 million 2010 USD)
and five deaths
TS VAMIE TRACKED
SATELLITE IMAGERY
DISSEMINATION
Advisories/Warnings on Heavy Monsoonal Rain, Tropical
Cyclone, Strong Winds & Rough Seas
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SMS
TV Broadcast
RTM1 - Selamat Pagi 1Malaysia &
Regional News
TV Crawler
Radio Broadcast(Light FM, Radio 24 etc.)
Facsimile(All disaster management
agencies)
Mass Media (Print and Electronic)
Web page: www.met.gov.my
Social Media Network
 Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/
Malaysian-Meteorological-Department/
153854517997853
Twitter: twitter.com/#!/malaysianmet
DISSEMINATION
Visual Strong Wind Warning System
South China Sea
MK Kuah Langkawi
Sulu Sea
Getting Fishery Complex
Stesen Meteorologi K. Trengganu
Pangkor
P. Chendering Fishery Complex
K. Pahang Fishermen Association
Miri Fishermen Association
Nenasi Fishermen Association
K. Rompin Fishermen Association
LKIM Mersing
Bintulu Fishermen Association
Mukah Fishermen Association
n
Red Flag (5)
Notice Board (7)
Additional Utilisation of Weather/Climate Information
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Disaster Preparedness and Planning
* Briefing on the weather outlook to National Disaster Management
Committee prior to the rainy season (Nov-Mar ) to enable the
agencies to better plan the mobilisation of rescue personnel and
resources to potential hazard areas. Briefing also given at the
states and districts level.
* Report to Cabinet on weather information, forecast and outlook
(quarterly)
* Conduct the National Climate Seminar (twice a year)
Additional Utilisation of Weather/Climate Information
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Agricultural Sector
* Weather outlook and climate prediction are used by
agricultural agencies and farmers in crop planning.
* MMD also produces agroclimatic maps and agrometeorological
bulletin
* Marine forecast and strong winds and rough seas warnings for
fishery
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Environmental agencies
*Hotspot, haze, open fire monitoring - MMD provide useful
guidance to environmental agencies on whether the weather
conditions will worsen haze during the dry season(May-Sep).
Additional Utilisation of Weather/Climate Information
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Special services
* Energy planning by the electricity sector - Weather reports and
forecasts containing rainfall and temperature information at specific
locations serve as inputs for power planning i.e. lowering or increasing
the generation of electricity during peak and non peak hours.
* Operators of dams, river barrage, flood gates and Smart Tunnel Advisories/warnings issued by MMD are used by these operators in
deciding whether to close or open the gates which control the flow of
water to prevent flood or reduce its impact.
* Combating oil spill - MMD provides oil spill trajectory forecasts as well
as weather and sea forecasts during the operations to combat oil spill.
* Oil & gas exploration - MMD has been supplying weather forecasts
and warnings to a number of companies operating in and outside the
Malaysian EEZ.
* Legal sector - MMD staff are required to testify in court in cases
where weather may have an important bearing on the outcome. Among
these cases are accidents at sea, smuggling activities, delayed
projects etc
Conclusion
Weather and climate information are vital for various activities in
Malaysia. Understandably, the users require that the
information provided is of operationally reasonable and
acceptable accuracy. While there are still limitations in weather
and climate predictions especially for the tropical region,
acknowledging the uncertainty that exist will enable the users
to better appreciate the value of the forecasts.
As the need for better and weather and climate services
increases, MMD will continue improve its products and
service delivery system to meet the growing demand.
THANK YOU, TERIMA KASIH