TEMPO.CO, Bandung - The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) issued an early warning for the arrival of La Nina ahead of the year’s end. Last year, the weather phenomenon increased the country’s monthly precipitation rate in November-December-January to 70 percent of the normal rate.

“We must immediately prepare to welcome the 2021-2022 La Nina, which is predicted to come in weak to moderate intensity at least until February,” said BMKG head Dwikorita Karnawati in a press release on Monday, October 18.

Based on the latest monitoring on sea surface temperature in the central and eastern Pacific Oceans, the temperature anomaly rate had crossed the threshold for the La Nina phenomenon, which is -0.61 in the first ten days or dasarian of this month. Cold in the central and eastern parts, the sea surface temperature in the Pacific Ocean near Indonesia’s territory or in the western parts was actually warm and created a center of low air pressure in the area.

The condition might potentially continue to develop until the end of the year or even February next year, the agency assessed. “This year’s La Nina is predicted to be relatively the same as last year and will increase the monthly precipitation rate from 20 to 70 percent above normal,” Dwikorita explained.

She called on local governments, communities, and all related parties to immediately be prepared to prevent and mitigate potential hydrometeorological disasters such as floods, landslides, flash floods, strong winds, and cyclones or tropical storms.

The BMKG’s Deputy for Climatology Urip Haryoko added that some areas on Java, Bali, Nusa Tenggara, and South Sulawesi are under the transition season this October, which require high caution for extreme weather, as already happened in Lantung, Sumbawa, NTB, last Friday; Bogor, West Java, and Madiun, East Java, on Sunday; and Bangkalan, East Java, and Sleman on Monday.

Read: BMKG: Rain to Shower Jakarta in the Afternoon, Evening

ANWAR SISWADI (CONTRIBUTOR)