TEMPO.CO, Medan - The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) recorded temperatures in a number of areas in North Sumatera have reached 35 degrees Celsius. BMKG’s Head of Data and Information Division Hendra Suwarta said the heat was forecasted to last until the end of March. “Starting from early April, North Sumatera will be raining again,” he said.
Hendra said the heat resulted from the sun moving closer towards the equator. The heat wave will peak on March 21, 2014 as the sun aligns directly over Indonesia.
“If there is no rain or overcast, the temperature may be quite high because the sun is close to us,” he said. Despite the current dry season, North Sumatera still has a slight chance of rain in the evening.
From the NOAA satellite, BMKG recorded 22 fire points in North Sumatera last Monday that were attributed to heat. The fire points are identified in North Tapanuli(one point), South Tapanuli (eight points), Mandailing Natal (two points), North LabuhanBatu (one point), South LabuhanBatu(one point), Asahan (one point), Karo (one point), Padang Lawas (one point), Toba Samosir (two points), Langkat (two points), Humbang Hasundutan (one point), and Binjai (one point).
IRWAN ARFA