1. THE NATIONAL
METEOROLOGICAL EARLY
WARNING AND COORDINATION
SYSTEM OF MALAYSIA
MALAYSIAN METEOROLOGICALDEPARTMENT
MINISTRY OFSCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY ANDINNOVATION

2. SCOPE
Natural Hazards in Malaysia
Monitoring and Early Warning System
Issues and Challenges
Strategies for Improvement
Conclusion

3. Natural Hazards in MalaysiaNatural Hazards in Malaysia
 Weather-related Hazards
Flood / Flash Flood
Strong Winds,Rough Seas & Storm Surge
Thunderstorms/ Lightning
Tropical Cyclone/ Typhoon
Forest Fire/Haze
Agricultural Drought
 Geophysical Hazards
Earthquake
Local and Regional Tsunami
Landslide
Volcanic Eruption

4. Northeast Monsoon (Nov –
Mar)
Southwest Monsoon
(Jun–Aug)
Intermonsoon
(Apr-May & Sep-
Oct)
Flood
Haze
Flash Flood
Strong Winds & Rough Seas
Typhoon
(May – Nov)
Severe Weather in Malaysia

5. Increase in Natural Hazards
 Increase in Extreme Weather Events in Malaysia since the 80s
Severe dry weather in 1998 caused serious water disruptions especially
in the Klang Valley.
In December 2005, heavy moonsonal rains brought about major floods
in Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu.
In February 2006, heavy moonsonal rains caused widespread floods in
Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang.
During the 2006 / 2007 Northeast Monsoon, the southern states of
Peninsular Malaysia especially Johor experienced major floods resulting
in damages to infrastructure and properties of more than one billion RM.
In January and February 2011, more than 50,000 people in Johor were
evacuated when severe flood hit the state.

6. Tropical Cyclones Intensity Increasing
(Winds and Rainfall)
In December 1996, Tropical Storm
Greg hit Sabah.
Typhoon Vamei landed on southwest
Johor in December 2001
Tropical Depression crossed
Malaysian waters and southern
Thailand causing floods in
Perlis and Kedah on 1-2 Nov
2010

7. METEOROLOGICAL
STATION (45)
UPPER AIR STATION (8)
RADAR STATION (13)
GROUND
RECEIVING
STATION (1)
WEATHER CAMERA
STATION (17)
DATA ACQUISITION
AUXILIARY STATIONS(339)
• AWS (141)
• Climatological Station (39)
• Rainfall Station (159)

8. METEOROLOGICAL
STATION (45)
UPPER AIR STATION (8)
RADAR STATION (13)
GROUND
RECEIVING
STATION (1)
WEATHER CAMERA
STATION (17)
DATA ACQUISITION
AUXILIARY STATIONS(339)
• AWS (141)
• Climatological Station (39)
• Rainfall Station (159)

9. RMAF Butterworth
Bayan Lepas
RMAF Gong Kedak
Kota Kinabalu
Kuching
RMAF Kuantan
Subang
KLIA
Central Forecast Office
Petaling Jaya
Main Meteorological Offices
(10)
KLIA Meteorological Office
Central Forecasting Office
Gong Kedak Meteorological Office
Labuan

10. Surface Observational Stations Network
Alor Star
Bayan
Lepas
Gong Kedak
Kota Kinabalu
Kuching
Kuantan
Subang
KLIA
Petaling Jaya
Chuping
P. Langkawi
Labuan
Sandakan
Kudat
Limbang
Tawau
Kapit
Mulu
Bintulu
Miri
Keningau
Sibu
Seri Aman
Batu Embun
Muadzam Shah
Batu Pahat
Kluang
Mersing
Senai
Temerloh
Cameron Highlands
Kota Bharu
K. Trengganu
Sitiawan
Melaka
Lubuk Merbau
Ipoh
Kuala Pilah
Tioman
Butterworth
Prai
Cameron Highlands
Subang
Sitiawan
Alor Star
Kuala Krai
Ranau
Kerteh

11. Bayan
Lepas
Kota Kinabalu
Kuching
Kuantan
KLIA
Tawau
Bintulu
Kota Bharu
UpperAirStations (8)
KLIA Upper Air Station

12. Agrometeorology
Agromet Auxiliary Stations : 173

13. Marine Observational Network
• 4 Acoustic Doppler
Current Profiler
(ADCP) and 2 Recording
Doppler Current Profiler
(RDCP) -real time
• Data from various
agencies : Royal Navy,
Marine Dept, Oil & Gas,
Scientific Expedition etc
• Voluntary Observing
Ship (VOS)
Bintulu RDCP
VOS
Sandakan
RDCP

14. KLUANG
SETAR
KUANTAN BINTULU
Omar
BUTTERWORTH SANDAKAN
SUBANG
KOTA BHARU
KUCHING
KOTA
KINABALU
KLIA
P. JAYA
Satellite And RadarStations
(Doppler)
DOPPLER RADAR STATION
12 fixed
1 mobile
SATELLITE
STATION
(5 systems)
MIRI

15. RadarEchoes
KLIA DOPPLER RADAR
MMD RADAR

16. NOAA GEO-STATIONARY
Hotspot & Haze Monitoring
Weather Monitoring
MODIS
Research & Analyses:
Chlorophyll, SST & Vegetation Index
Satellite Products

17. NWPModels
MMD-MM5
MMD-WRF
MMD-HRM

18. Marine Models
MMD-JMA MRI III Wave Model MMD-WAM Wave Model
MMD-JMA Storm Surge Model
MMD-JMA Oil Spill Model

19. MMD- JMA Oil Spill Model
Oil Spill

20. Hysplit Trajectory Model

21. Fire DangerRating System
Fine Fuel Moisture
Code
Fire Weather Index
Drought Code
DUFF Moisture
Code
Initial Spread
Index
Build Up Index

22. Marine Regions

23. Forecasts forPort and Ferry Operators
Kuantan
PTP
Bintulu
Miri
K. Kinabalu
South China Sea
Sulu Sea
Penang
Kuching
P. Klang
Johor Bahru
Sandakan

24. Warning
Stages
Criteria
YellowYellow
Possibility of a monsoonal rain in the next 3 – 5 days
Possibility of heavy rains and strong winds/tropical depression
in the next 3 – 5 days
OrangeOrange
Moderate monsoonal rainfall is occurring/will occur in the
next couple of hours. Possibility of flood.
Tropical depression with speeds of 50-60 kmph accompanied with
moderate rains becoming heavy.
RedRed
Widespread heavy monsoonal rainfall is occurring/will
occur in the next couple of hours. Possibility of major
flood.
Tropical storm/typhoon with speeds from 60 kmph accompanied
with moderate rains becoming heavy.
Criteria for Heavy Monsoonal Rain
and Tropical Cyclones

25. Categor
y
Criteria
FirstFirst
Strong winds 40-50 kmph and rough seasStrong winds 40-50 kmph and rough seas
with wave height up to 3.5 metres.with wave height up to 3.5 metres.
SecondSecond
Strong winds 50 – 60 kmph and roughStrong winds 50 – 60 kmph and rough
seas with wave height up to 4.5 metres.seas with wave height up to 4.5 metres.
ThirdThird
Strong winds from 60 kmph and roughStrong winds from 60 kmph and rough
seas with wave height from 4.5 metres.seas with wave height from 4.5 metres.
Criteria for Strong Winds & Rough Seas
Warning

26. Dissemination of Advisories/Warnings on
Heavy Monsoonal Rain, Tropical Cyclone,
Strong Winds & Rough Seas
 SMS(VIP, disaster management agencies)SMS(VIP, disaster management agencies)
 TV BroadcastTV Broadcast
RTM1 - Selamat Pagi 1Malaysia, 1 pm &RTM1 - Selamat Pagi 1Malaysia, 1 pm &
5 pm Regional News5 pm Regional News
TV CrawlerTV Crawler
 Radio Broadcast(Light FM, Radio 24 etc.)Radio Broadcast(Light FM, Radio 24 etc.)
 Facsimile(All disaster managementFacsimile(All disaster management
agencies)agencies)
 Mass Media (Print and Electronic)Mass Media (Print and Electronic)
 Web page:Web page: www.met.gov.my
 Social Media NetworkSocial Media Network
 Facebook:Facebook: www.facebook.com/malaysiamet
Twitter:Twitter: twitter.com/#!/malaysianmet

27. Visual Strong Wind Warning System
Red Flag (5)
Getting Fishery Complex
Stesen Meteorologi K. Trengganu
P. Chendering Fishery Complex
K. Pahang Fishermen Association
Nenasi Fishermen Association
K. Rompin Fishermen Association
LKIM Mersing
Mukah Fishermen Association
Bintulu Fishermen Association
Miri Fishermen Association
n
South China Sea
StraitsofM
alacca
Sulu Sea
Celebes Sea
Notice Board (7)
MK Kuah Langkawi
Pangkor

28. Dissemination(additional)
Whenever necessary, additional channels are
used especially for Tsunami Advisory/Warning:
- Siren(certain locations only)
-Fixed Line Alert System (FLAS) (ensure the
warnings to evacuate reach the communities)
This mode of dissemination may be extended to
cover meteorological hazards.

29. EXHIBITIONS DIALOGUES
MEDIA SESSIONS
Severe Weather and Tsunami Awareness
Programs
COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION

30. PENGETAHUAN RISIKO
PEOPLE-CENTRED EARLY WARNING SYSTEM FORPEOPLE-CENTRED EARLY WARNING SYSTEM FOR
WEATHER, SEA & TSUNAMIWEATHER, SEA & TSUNAMI
OBSERVATION &
WARNING SYSTEM
DISSEMINATION &
COMMUNICATION
RESPONSE CAPACITY

31. Inadequate coverage of observational stations:
siren, seismic, automatic weather stations and
radar.
Lack of scientific understanding on tropical
meteorology: accuracy and lead time of
forecast/warning could not be improved. Small-
scaled weather systems such as thunderstorms &
squall-line could produce substantial damages but
are extremely hard to predict.
Rapid urbanization led to increased localised
convection due to the heat island effect.
CHALLENGESCHALLENGES

32. Lead Time and Forecast Skill

33. Disruption in information dissemination system
particularly SMS and Internet during peak
season/hours. For example: The MMD’s webpage hit
could rise from 600,000 to 5 millions per day.
Huge cost of acquiring and maintaining observational
instruments and systems.
Low level of awareness on disaster due to limited
capacity and resources to educate the public.
CHALLENGESCHALLENGES

34. Establishing observational stations at strategic
locations and upgrading existing ones.
Operationalization of advanced weather and marine
numerical models.
Enhancing the dissemination of warnings through
various telecommunication channels.
STRATEGIES FOR
IMPROVEMENT

35. Colloboration with local authority involved in disaster
management on data sharing(Blue Ocean Strategy).
Conducting regular awareness programs.
Forging cooperation with local and international
research agencies.
STRATEGIES FOR
IMPROVEMENT

36. Thank You