Photo: ANTARA Agency
JAKARTA (Bernama): Indonesia continues to swelter under an intense heatwave, with temperatures soaring to 37.6 degrees Celsius in several regions, as the national weather agency warns that the extreme conditions could last until early November.
The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) said the unusually hot spell is due to the sun’s apparent southward movement and the strengthening of easterly winds from the Australian Monsoon.
"This pattern means the central and southern regions, including Java, Nusa Tenggara, Kalimantan, and Papua, are receiving more direct sunlight, causing temperatures to feel hotter,” said BMKG deputy for meteorology Guswanto in a statement.
While the heat is expected to persist, the agency noted that brief localised rain from convective activity could still occur in the afternoons or evenings, particularly over parts of Sumatra, Kalimantan, Java, and Papua.
Authorities have urged the public to stay hydrated and avoid long exposure to direct sunlight, particularly around midday, as the extreme heat continues.
"People should remain alert to sudden weather changes such as rain accompanied by lightning and strong winds in the late afternoon or evening,” Guswanto added.
BMKG data show temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius have been recorded across much of Indonesia, particularly in Nusa Tenggara, Java, western and central Kalimantan, southern and southeastern Sulawesi, and several parts of Papua.
On Oct 12, the highest temperatures of 36.8 degrees Celsius were recorded in Kapuas Hulu (West Kalimantan), Kupang (East Nusa Tenggara), and Majalengka (West Java).
By Oct 14, temperatures in parts of Kalimantan, Papua, Java, West Nusa Tenggara, and East Nusa Tenggara ranged between 35 and 37 degrees Celsius, while Majalengka and Boven Digoel (Papua) reported peaks of 37.6 degrees Celsius.
"The consistently high temperatures in many areas reflect persistent hot and dry weather, driven by the dominance of dry air masses and limited cloud cover,” BMKG Public Meteorology director Andri Ramdhani added. - Bernama
