BMKG Warns of Early Start and Wetter Rainy Season

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) predicted that the rainy season will gradually begin from the western part of Indonesia at the end of October. Most of the country’s regions will then experience a peak season in January and February 2021.

The agency also appealed to the government and the public to be aware of the early rainy season. The Head of Climate Change Information Center, Dodo Gunawan, mentioned regions that might have an early season, viz. parts of Sumatra and Sulawesi and small parts of Java, Kalimantan, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), and East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).

Dodo also highlighted the importance of vigilance and early anticipation in areas that possibly experience a wetter rainy season, including Sumatra, Java, and small parts of Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Bali, Nusa Tenggara, and Papua.

“Besides, regions that will have a late rainy season (10-20 days) should be addressed too, especially food centers areas, such as Java, Bali, NTB, and Sulawesi,” said the BMKG Head Dwikorita Karnawati in a release on Monday, September 7.

In the release, BMKG explained the condition was related to the existence of the La Nina phenomenon over the Pacific Ocean and the negative Indian Ocean Dipole from the Indian Ocean. As a result, 27.5 percent of the season zone (ZOM) potentially has a wetter rainy season than its climatological average.

The BMKG's Climatology Deputy Herizal further explained 34.8 percent of the total 342 ZOM in Indonesia were predicted to start the rainy season in October 2020, namely in parts of Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan, and Sulawesi.

Parts of Sumatra, Java, Nusa Tenggara, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku, and Papua will enter the rainy season in November. Meanwhile, Java, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku, NTB, NTT, and Papua will enter the beginning of the rainy season in December.

Read also: BMKG: Indonesia to Transition from Drought to to Rainy Season

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