Thunderstorms, flood warnings in major parts of Indonesia

A woman uses a hand-pulled cart service to traverse an inundated stretch of Jl. KH Hasyim Ashari in Ciledug, Tangerang, Banten, on Sunday. - Antara via Jakarta Post/ANN

JAKARTA (The Jakarta Post/ANN): The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has forecast that certain regions in Indonesia may be hit by severe weather conditions from Nov 10 to 16.

The BMKG warns of the possibility of heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, hail and flooding, as a result of the movement of the Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO) along with the active Equator and Kelvin atmospheric waves in specific areas that are contributing to the potential development of rain clouds.

The emergence of the seed of tropical cyclone 94W is also a contributing factor to extreme weather conditions across various parts of Indonesia.

According to the BMKG’s website, heavy rain is likely to occur in multiple Indonesian regions, including Aceh, West Sumatra, North Sumatra, South Sumatra, Bengkulu, Lampung, Riau, West Java, West Nusa Tenggara, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, North Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, North Sulawesi, Central Sulawesi, Gorontalo and West Papua.

Furthermore, regions where thunderstorms are anticipated include Aceh, West Sumatra, South Sumatra, Bengkulu, Banten, West Java, Jakarta, East Java, West Kalimantan, North Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, Central Sulawesi, Gorontalo, and West Papua. The BMKG said that in November, the expected rainfall is generally categorized as low to moderate (0-150mm/10 days).

Previously, the BMKG urged the public to be wary of the potential for extreme weather during the transitional period from the dry season to the rainy season.

"The potential for extreme weather is significant during the transition period. This can include heavy rain accompanied by lightning, strong winds and even hail," said BMKG head Dwikorita Karnawati.

She said wind direction would vary significantly, causing sudden shifts in weather conditions from hot to rainy or vice versa. However, in general, the weather will typically start with clear mornings, followed by cloud formation in the afternoon, and rain expected in the late afternoon or evening.