For Aircraft Passengers In Central Sulawesi, BMKG Releases Alert To Fast Winds Until February 2023

Photo via Antara

JAKARTA - BMKG reminds users of air transportation in Central Sulawesi to be aware of the potential for strong winds that occur until February 2023. "The phenomenon of strong winds occurring in December 2022 to February next year, so that people who use air transportation need to be aware of the potential for strong winds," said Head of BMKG Class II Meteorological Station Mutiara Sis Al-Jufri Palu, Nur Alim when met in Palu, Wednesday, December 21, quoted from Antara. He explained that the potential for strong winds in the province began to occur around 14.00 WITA to 20.00 WITA, which is an annual cycle. "Moreover, currently, the moment of Christmas and New Year holidays many travelers use airplanes as efficient transportation across regions coming and departing from Central Sulawesi." Alternatively for air transportation users should choose flights in the morning, because in the morning the gust of wind is still normal," said Alim. According to BMKG, late and early year is the cycle of the western wind season, where Sumatra Island, Java and parts of Kalimantan are in the rainy Monsun, actually the rainfall in Central Sulawesi is less and more likely to experience the phenomenon of strong winds. Because, this area is affected by non-zero weather and climate or regions that do not have a clear limit between the rainy and dry seasons. "The impact of this phenomenon is not too impact on the ground, what needs to be watched out for is air transportation," said Alim.

He said the average wind speed blows above the air in this phenomenon 11 to 14 knots or the equivalent of 36 kilometers per hour, while the minimum safety of flights with wind speeds is below 10 knots. In contrast to sea transportation users, this situation does not affect shipping activities, it is estimated that if the wind blows above normal speeds that can trigger waves above 1.5 meters, the ship is still safe to sail, it is also supported by a large size. "For traditional fishermen to avoid fishing in the afternoon until evening, because the peak of strong wind gusts occurs in the afternoon and into the evening," said Alim.