In recent weeks, Indonesia has been hit by heatwave, with average temperatures increasing over the past week. The country’s meteorological agency, the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), has identified five main causes of this phenomenon.
According to the BMKG, the first cause of this heatwave is unusual atmospheric dynamics across Asia, including Indonesia. Second, the apparent movement of the sun has added to the spike in heat from previous years.
Third, global warming trends and climate change are not only happening in Indonesia but also in many other countries. Fourth, Indonesia has entered the dry season, which BMKG predicts will occur between April and September 2023.
Finally, the maximum intensity of solar radiation under clear weather conditions and the lack of cloud cover is contributing to the heat.
Ardhasena Sopaheluwakan, Head of BMKG’s Applied Climate Services Center, predicts that the temperature in some parts of the country will reach 36-37 degrees Celsius. “Observations so far (temperature in Indonesia) range from 36-37 degrees Celsius,” he said on Monday (24/4).
Despite being relatively high, he assures the public that Indonesia’s temperature will not reach the level of heat waves in countries such as Bangladesh, India, or Thailand, which can reach up to 51.2 degrees Celsius and 44.6 degrees Celsius, respectively.
“So (Indonesia) is still much lower than in India and Bangladesh, Thailand,” he explained.
Meanwhile, BMKG’s Head in Jakarta, Dwikorita Karnawati, said on Tuesday (25/4/2023), “The hot temperature in Indonesia is not a heatwave, and the maximum daily temperature is starting to decrease. The public should not panic and remain vigilant.”
Karnawati explained that heat waves generally occur in areas located at medium to high latitudes in both the northern and southern hemispheres, in geographic regions with or adjacent to large land masses or continental or sub-continental regions.
“Meanwhile, Indonesia is located in the equatorial region with a geographical condition of an archipelago surrounded by vast bodies of water,” she clarified.
The high temperatures in Indonesia are a cause for concern, especially with the prediction of the dry season’s arrival. The BMKG’s warning to remain vigilant is crucial, as high temperatures can pose health risks to individuals, especially vulnerable populations.
Additionally, global efforts to combat climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions must continue to prevent further heat waves and other climate-related disasters in the future.
