BMKG Closely Monitors Atmospheric Dynamics Daily as Basis for Weather Modification Operations
The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has intensified periodic monitoring of atmospheric dynamics, from hourly scales to 10-day predictions, as the primary basis for executing Weather Modification Operations (OMC).
Acting Deputy for Meteorology at BMKG, Andri Ramadhani, stated during a press conference in Jakarta on Wednesday that intensive monitoring of active atmospheric conditions is carried out to ensure artificial rain intervention can proceed precisely and efficiently amid the dry season.
‘We in the Deputy for Meteorology continuously monitor which atmospheric dynamics are active, both on an hourly scale and up to 10 days ahead. This ensures what is done for OMC is very precise, efficient, and of course considers which areas need immediate action,’ he said.
Andri explained that amidst a dry season characterised by minimal cloud growth, real-time hourly atmospheric data becomes crucial for cloud seeding operator teams in the field to detect golden opportunities for potential cloud formation.
This situational step based on meteorological data is mandatory so that the command to seed salt (NaCl) in the sky is not wasted and truly produces rain in the designated target zones.
The main targets of this weather engineering operation, which utilises potential cloud windows, are focused on two strategic national agendas: replenishing water volumes in major reservoirs and wetting fire-prone peatland areas.
The determination of OMC implementation locations is also continuously aligned with regional vulnerability levels, particularly in food production centres beginning to lack irrigation water, as well as six priority provinces included in the forest and land fire (karhutla) disaster alert map.
Jambi is one of the six priority provinces for karhutla mitigation because it has a critical area of peat-mineral forest land at risk of burning when dry, and is currently carrying out weather modification operations.
The implementation of OMC in Jambi is scheduled to take place from 5 to 12 June 2026, following the establishment of an emergency alert status for karhutla by the Jambi Provincial Government, effective from 27 April to the end of November 2026.
The air operation centred at Sultan Thaha Airport in Jambi involves close collaboration between BMKG, the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), and the Indonesian Air Force. In the first few days of the operation, the air mitigation team conducted one sortie each of salt seeding material over vulnerable areas such as West Tanjung Jabung Regency, East Tanjung Jabung Regency, and Muaro Jambi Regency. The cloud seeding efforts were reported to have successfully induced localised rain in several of these vulnerable points.
‘So for OMC, BMKG acts situationally. This means adapting to the latest atmospheric dynamic conditions,’ Andri stated.