The Phenomenon Of Coiled Clouds On Mount Lawu, Merapi And Merbabu, This Is An Explanation From BMKG

Photo: lukman.hakiem_ via Instagram lawumountain

JAKARTA - Photos of circular clouds on Mount Lawu, Merapi and Merbabu have been widely shared on social media. This cloud phenomenon is said to be common in mountainous areas.

“Lenticularis clouds often occur in mountainous areas. Some are like cauliflower, shaped like a plate or a hat cloud. Usually he doesn't move, stays in the place where the clouds are formed, ”said Head of Data and Information Section of the Climatology BMKG Semarang Station, Iis W. Harmoko, when contacted by VOI, Thursday, November 5.

According to him, this cloud was formed due to wind currents that flowed and encountered obstacles in the mountains. The air current is called Harmoko then moves vertically towards the top. From there, water vapor condensation into clouds following the contours of the top of the mountain.

"When it goes up, it will shape the contours of the top of the mountain," Harmoko continued.

Status of Mount Merapi

Meanwhile, Head of the Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Center (BPPTKG) Hanik Humaida said that the volcanic activity of Mount Merapi continues to increase. In fact, currently the status of Mount Merapi has risen to alert or level III.

"Volcanic activity continues to increase until now. This is based on data from monitoring volcanic activity, such as seismicity and deformation, which is still increasing," Raditya said in a written statement, Thursday, November 5.

Hanik said, this condition could trigger a magma extrusion process quickly or an explosive eruption. Potential hazards can be in the form of lava avalanches, ejection of material, and hot clouds as far as 5 kilometers.

"BPPTKG conducted sectoral mapping related to the hazard area forecast. As a result, there were 12 villages included in the forecast, scattered in the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY) and Central Java Province," said Hanik.

The village administrative areas included in the estimated hazard areas in DIY are Glagaharjo, Kepuharjo and Umbulharjo, which are in Cangkringan District, Sleman.

In Central Java Province, three districts were identified as having village areas included in the hazard area forecast, namely Magelang, Boyolali and Klaten.

Meanwhile, at the village and sub-district levels that are included in the three districts are Ngargomulyo, Krinjing and Paten in Dukun, Magelang, Tlogolele, Klakah and Jrakah in Selo, Boyolali and Tegal Mulyo, Sidorejo and Balerante in Kemalang, Klaten.