BMKG Warns Rain with Lightning and Strong Wind in Several Regions Today

Illustration of lightning rain (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) issued an early warning of the potential for light to heavy rain that may be accompanied by lightning and strong winds in a number of regions of Indonesia on Wednesday, August 12.

BMKG Praktirawan Miftah Ali said that the condition was influenced by the existence of a convergence area that extends in a number of regions of Indonesia and has the potential to increase the amount of rainfall.

The convergence area is observed to extend from the western coast of North Sumatra, Riau, the South Indian Ocean, East Java, the Sawu Sea, Sarawak, South Kalimantan to Central Kalimantan, North Kalimantan to Sabah, the Sulu Sea, the Makassar Strait, Southeast Sulawesi to South Sulawesi, Papua, and the western and southern waters of South Papua.

"This condition is able to increase the potential for rain cloud growth along the areas that are passed by convergence or confluence," said Miftah, quoted from Antara.

Based on the BMKG forecast, a number of major cities have the potential to experience light rain on Wednesday, namely Medan, Padang, Tanjung Selor, Ambon, and Jayapura.

Meanwhile, a number of other major cities are expected to experience heavy rain. They are Aceh, Pekanbaru, Tanjung Pinang, Jambi, Bengkulu, Pangkal Pinang, Serang, Jakarta, Bandung, Semarang, Surabaya, Samarinda, Banjarmasin, Denpasar, Mataram, Kupang, Makassar, Mamuju, Gorontalo, Kendari, Manado, Ternate, Manokwari, Nabire, and Merauke.

In the midst of rain forecasts in a number of regions, BMKG also reminded of the development of climate phenomena that have the potential to extend the dry conditions in some areas.

A day earlier, Tuesday (11/8), BMKG said that the strong El Nino phenomenon also caused the condition of South Sumatra (Sumsel) to become drier. This condition is expected to last until the peak of the dry season in August-September 2026.

Head of the Sumsel Class I Climatology Station, Wandayantolis, said that the current climate conditions in Sumsel were also influenced by El Nino which had the potential to develop into a very strong category.

In addition to El Nino, the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) phenomenon has also begun to strengthen and has an impact on weather conditions in South Sumatra.

According to Wandayantolis, the strengthening of the IOD causes the supply of rain to the Sumatra region to decrease. This condition makes the dry weather increasingly felt since June, continuing in July until early August.

BMKG urges the public to continue to pay attention to weather information and early warnings, especially when carrying out activities in areas that are potentially experiencing heavy rain, lightning, and strong winds.