PUTRAJAYA: People in the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah and Sarawak can expect more wet days ahead.

       Thunderstorms and heavy rainfall are expected to occur during evenings and nights in the west coast states of the peninsula and most areas in Sabah and Sarawak until next Thursday as a result of the ongoing weak phase (monsoon break) of the Southwest Monsoon.

       The Water and Environment Ministry said the country was still in the midst of the Southwest Monsoon, which has its strong (active) and weak (less active) phases, that is expected to end in mid-September.

       During the active phase, southwesterly winds blow consistently and conditions are relatively dry, and vice versa during the weak phase with the onset of wet weather due to different wind patterns.

       “Usually, there is a concentration of wind that causes upward air movement. Both conditions cause thunderstorms and rain in the evening,” the ministry said in a statement yesterday.

       Based on weather monitoring and radar image analysis, active clouds had formed in the interiors of west coast states, covering Kedah, Penang, Perak and Selangor around 2pm on Friday.

       “The intensity increased to cover almost the entire west coast of the peninsula in the afternoon.

       “Atmospheric observation showed a clash of winds from northwest and southeast with high humidity from the Andaman Sea and Melaka Strait further contributing to the formation of active clouds,” the ministry said. — Bernama