BMKG Detects Potential Tropical Cyclone Over Arafura Sea

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A seed storm has been identified over the Arafura sea which can potentially turn into a tropical cyclone on Tuesday. The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) warned that the potential storm could form within the next three days and to move to a specific location. 

The Jakarta Tropical Cyclone Warning Center (TCWC) expects that the situation will intensify in a certain region for the next 72 hours, Antaranews reported. 

“The suspect area tends to move southwest to the ocean area north of Australia or south of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT),” said BMKG deputy of meteorology Guswanto on December 21. “The main system could already be in the area overseen by the Australian TCWC.”

For Indonesia, Guswanto said BMKG had already issued an early warning for the next three days as NTT and Maluku will likely be under heavy rain and powerful storms at Southeast Sulawesi, NTT, and Maluku.

The agency also warned about the storms affecting sea waves that can reach heights up to 2.5 meters at the Seram Sea, Kaimana, Aru Islands, Sermata Islands, and up to the Arafura Sea. Meanwhile, areas with harsher waves up to 4 meters in height are Wakatobi Islands, Banda Sea, southern waters of Buru, Seram, Kai Islands, and east of Flores Sea. 

However, the agency called for local NTT residents to remain calm and assured that the effects of this possible storm will not be as devastating as tropical cyclone Seroja earlier in April this year. 

Read: BMKG Sees Climate Change Triggers Hike in Tropical Cyclones in Indonesia

ANTARA