BMKG Warns Impact of Cyclone Luana on South Central Java Weather

JAKARTA - The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) warns of the indirect impact of Tropical Cyclone Luana on weather conditions in the southern Central Java (Jateng) region, including Cilacap Regency and its surroundings.

The Head of the BMKG Data and Information Dissemination Service Working Team, Tunggul Wulung Cilacap Meteorological Station, Teguh Wardoyo, said the presence of Tropical Cyclone Luana in the southern Indian Ocean, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), caused an increase in surface wind speeds in the southern area of Java Island.

"The indirect impact of Tropical Cyclone Luana has the potential to trigger strong winds that can occur from morning to evening in the southern part of Central Java," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Saturday, January 24.

Based on BMKG observation data, he said, the maximum surface wind speed at the Tunggul Wulung Cilacap Meteorological Station was recorded at 30 knots. Meanwhile, at the Tunggul Wulung Cilacap Airport Weather Observation Post, he continued, the wind speed was observed up to 32 knots.

Tropical Cyclone Luana has a minimum air pressure of around 993 hPa with a maximum wind speed around the system reaching 40 knots or included in the category of tropical cyclone level one.

"Although it is moving away from Indonesia to Australia, the system still has an influence on atmospheric dynamics in the southern Indonesian region," he said.

The increase in wind speed occurs due to the difference in air pressure between the northern hemisphere dominated by high pressure and the southern hemisphere which currently has low pressure due to tropical cyclones.

The pressure difference triggers wind flow from north to south with a fairly high speed.

"We appeal to the public, especially in the southern Central Java region, to increase vigilance against the potential impact of strong winds, such as fallen trees, collapsed electricity poles, building damage, and fragile billboards, and continue to monitor the latest weather information from BMKG," said Teguh.