Kuala Krai folk put on sweaters as mercury drops to 17 degrees Celsius

It may seem unusual but people in this Kelantan town have been putting on sweaters this week. The reason: the mercury is showing 17 degrees Celsius!

A check by Bernama at the Kuala Krai Lake Gardens and the Cinta Wangsa Park, popular with those who come for a workout, showed that people were turning up later than usual due to the thick mist in these places.

Civil servant Mohd Baihaqi Che Man, 28, said he came there to exercise only at 8 am this week, an hour later than usual.

"The cold weather causes a thick mist to envelop the area and visibility is reduced. I came out later today as I did not want to be hit by any vehicle.

"I was also forced to put on three layers of clothing, including a sweater, because the weather is colder than it was last week," he told Bernama.

A teacher, Abd Aziz Daud, 42, from Sungai Pas here, said the low temperature in the interior area was unusual, and some pupils and teachers had to wear sweaters to school.

"It is also cold in the evenings. However, pupils are still turning up for school," he said.

Civil servant Norazita Ismail, 36, from Guchil 3, said she was taking hot water baths now before going to work.

"I dread to touch the cold water. It is too cold...like touching ice. Fortunately, we are able to start our cars in the morning. The town is shrouded in mist, even at 9.30 am," she said.

Meanwhile, Kelantan director of health Datuk Ahmad Razin Ahmad Maher told Bernama there had been no reports of people suffering health problems despite the temperature having dropped since last Wednesday.

The official portal of the Meteorological Services Department reported last Wednesday that the temperature in Kuala Krai was 17.2 degrees Celsius, the second lowest after Cameron Highlands in Pahang which shivered in 12 degrees Celsius.

The mercury showed a minimum of 19.1 degrees Celsius and a maximum of 29.2 degrees Celsius for Kuala Krai today. In Kota Bharu, it was 21 degrees and 27.9 degrees, respectively.

The cold weather is reportedly due to a cold air surge from the China mainland moving southwards to the South China Sea, a phenomenon usually associated with the North-East Monsoon.