BMKG: Majority of Major Cities to Experience Cloudy Skies and Light Rain on Saturday

The Indonesian Meteorological, Climatological, and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) has issued an early warning regarding the potential for light, moderate, to heavy rainfall, which may be accompanied by lightning and strong winds, in various major cities across Indonesia this Saturday.

According to BMKG’s official website, forecaster Afif Shalahuddin explained that there is a general convergence area extending across the Malacca Strait, the western coast of North Sumatra, the western coast of West Sumatra, Jambi, South Sumatra, West Kalimantan, Maluku, Central Papua, and Highland Papua. These conditions are capable of increasing the potential for rain cloud growth along the areas traversed by this convergence or confluence.

Consequently, the agency predicts that Tanjung Selor is one of the major areas likely to experience moderate to very heavy rain accompanied by lightning and strong winds. Meanwhile, several other major cities are expected to experience light to moderate rain, including Banda Aceh, Medan, Tanjung Pinang, Padang, Bengkulu, Serang, Bandung, Semarang, Pontianak, Mamuju, Ambon, Manokwari, Nabire, Jayapura, and Merauke.

Previously, on Thursday (30/7), the BMKG urged managers of Hydroelectric Power Plants (PLTA) throughout Indonesia to plan water usage in a measured manner to anticipate surges in electricity load during El Niño phenomena.

BMKG Deputy for Climatology, Ardhasena Sopaheluwakan, stated during a press conference in Jakarta that surges in national energy consumption often occur alongside a decrease in reservoir water reserves during periods of hot weather or drought. “Information regarding rainfall is crucial for determining water usage plans in hydroelectric power plants. Typically, hot weather triggers a surge in energy consumption, so this climate information is vital for determining anticipatory measures,” said Ardhasena.