New Year 2023, BMKG Predicts Heavy Rain in Almost All of Indonesia

Jakarta, MINA – The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) predicts that all regions of Indonesia have the potential to be hit by heavy to very heavy rains during Christmas and New Year 2023.

As quoted from the BMKG website on Tuesday, the areas that need to be watched out for during the period December 25 2022 – January 1 2023 are Banten, West Java, Central Java, Yogyakarta, East Java, Bali, NTB, NTT, South Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi, and Maluku.

The Head of BMKG, Dwikorita said the increase in rainfall during the Christmas and New Year 2023 periods was due to a number of atmospheric dynamics. Among them, increased activity of the Asian Monsoon which can significantly increase the growth of rain clouds in the western, central and southern parts of Indonesia.

In addition, she said, the increasing intensity of Asia’s cold snap could increase surface wind speeds in the western and southern parts of Indonesia, as well as increase the potential for rain clouds around Kalimantan, Sumatra, Java, Bali, and Nusa Tenggara.

Other atmospheric dynamics is an indication of the formation of a low pressure center around the southern Indonesian waters which can trigger an increase in the growth of quite massive convective clouds and has the potential to cause high intensity rain, increase in surface wind speed, and increase in the height of the surrounding waves.

“And fourth, some atmospheric wave activity has been observed, namely the Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO) phenomenon which was formed simultaneously with the Kelvin and Rossby Equatorial waves. These conditions contribute significantly to an increase in rainfall in several regions of Indonesia, especially in the central and eastern parts,” said Dwikorita.

Dwikorita said, in addition to heavy rains, the complex dynamics of the atmosphere has the potential to cause high waves in Indonesian waters in the period December 21-27 2022.

With this weather forecast, Dwikorita asked the public to continue to monitor weather forecast information and extreme weather early warnings from BMKG.

According to him, the risk of hydrometeorological disasters such as floods, landslides, flash floods, strong winds, tornadoes, and high waves is very large.

“The government and the community must increase awareness and preparedness in facing the risk of hydrometeorological disasters. Fragile tree branches and branches must be pruned and the stands/poles strengthened so they don’t collapse in strong winds,” he said.

The Regional Government, said Dwikorita, needs to intensify coordination, synergy and communication between related parties for preparedness in anticipation of hydrometrological disasters.

In addition, the Regional Government must also ensure that the infrastructure capacity and water resources management system are ready to anticipate increased rainfall.

“It is also necessary to intensify socialization, education and literacy on a more massive scale to increase understanding and concern for the Regional Government, the community and related parties in preventing/reducing the risk of hydrometeorological disasters,” she added. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)