Viral WhatsApp Message Claiming That Hot Weather Will Exceed 40°C Is Not True
MET Malaysia released a statement today assuring Malaysians that the temperature will not reach 40 degrees in the peninsula.
By Samantha Khor — 24 Oct 2017, 04:17 PM
In light of the scorching hot weather in Klang Valley lately, a WhatsApp message claiming that temperatures are expected to soar past 40 degrees has been circulating on social media in the past few days
The message warned receivers to avoid going outdoors and risk getting heatstrokes as the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MET Malaysia) said that temperatures will rise above 40 degrees over the next five days
The message stated that such high temperatures are due to the sun shining "right in the middle of the Earth's equator" and that the heat will peak around 12pm to 3pm over the next five days.
However, MET Malaysia has denied claims that they issued the warning, clarifying that the highest recorded temperature last week was at 36 degrees Celcius
The department's director-general Alui Bahari added that 36 degrees is actually below the temperature of heat wave (37 degrees Celcius).
The department's director-general Alui Bahari also said that several parts of the peninsula may be seeing thunderstorms in the afternoon as per the "current monsoon transition phase"
"The sun is also not in the Equator line now, and based on the current monitoring, the thunderstorms in the afternoon have taken place in several parts of the peninsula following the weakening of the typhoon Lan," he explained, adding that "the thunderstorm is normal during the current monsoon transition phase."
He also advised the public to obtain valid information from the MET Malaysia website or call 1-300-221638 to clarify uncertain news.