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Spatial patterns and trends of daily rainfall regime in Peninsular Malaysia during the southwest and northeast monsoons: 1975–2004

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Abstract

This study focuses on describing the patterns and trends of five selected rainfall indices in Peninsular Malaysia, based on daily rainfall data from 1975 to 2004. Five rainfall indices based on two main seasons, the northeast and southwest monsoons, were analyzed: total rainfall, frequency of wet days, rainfall intensity, frequency of wet days (extreme frequency), and rainfall intensity (extreme intensity) exceeding the long-term mean 95th percentile. The findings indicated that the eastern areas of the Peninsula were strongly influenced by the northeast monsoon, while the southwest monsoon had the greatest impact on the western part of the Peninsula, particularly the northwest. In studying the trends of these rainfall indices, the non-parametric Mann–Kendall test was used. The serial correlation and cross-correlation structure of the data were accounted for in determining the significance of the Mann–Kendall test results. It was found that there were differences in trend patterns over the Peninsula during both seasons, with a decrease in total rainfall and a significant decrease in frequency of wet days leading to a significant increase in rainfall intensity over the Peninsula, except in eastern areas, during the southwest monsoon. In contrast, a trend of significantly increasing total rainfall and an increase in frequencies of extreme rainfall events during the northeast monsoon caused a significantly increasing trend in rainfall intensity over the Peninsula to be observed. However, no significant trend was observed with respect to extreme intensity during both monsoons over the Peninsula. The findings of this study suggest that rainfall patterns in Peninsular Malaysia are very much affected by the northeast monsoon, based on the larger magnitude of changes observed in the rainfall indices.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are indebted to the staff of the Drainage and Irrigation Department and the Malaysian Meteorological Department for providing the daily rainfall data for this study. This research would not have been possible without sponsorship from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Universiti Teknologi Mara (UITM), and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). The authors are also indebted to the two anonymous reviewers for their critical comments and views that led to the improvement of this paper. This research was funded by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM-GUP-PI-08-34-318).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mathematics Department, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Skudai, Johor, Malaysia

    Jamaludin Suhaila

  2. Faculty of Information Technology and Quantitative Science, Center of Statistical Studies, University Teknologi MARA, 40450, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

    S. M. Deni

  3. School of Mathematical Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

    Wan Zawiah Wan Zin & Abdul Aziz Jemain

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  1. Jamaludin Suhaila
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  2. S. M. Deni
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  3. Wan Zawiah Wan Zin
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  4. Abdul Aziz Jemain
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Correspondence to Jamaludin Suhaila.

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Suhaila, J., Deni, S.M., Wan Zin, W.Z. et al. Spatial patterns and trends of daily rainfall regime in Peninsular Malaysia during the southwest and northeast monsoons: 1975–2004. Meteorol Atmos Phys 110, 1–18 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00703-010-0108-6

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