BMKG predicts Godzilla El Niño to trigger longer dry season in Jambi

Jambi City (ANTARA) - The Meteorology, Climatological, and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) at Sultan Thaha Meteorological Station predicts that the Godzilla El Niño phenomenon has the potential to trigger a longer dry season in Jambi Province in 2026. “The weather conditions in Jambi Province are currently in a transitional period from the rainy season to the dry season with fluctuating patterns,” said Forecaster at BMKG Sultan Thaha Meteorological Station in Jambi, Jaya Martua Sinaga, in Jambi on Friday. This is marked by partly cloudy weather in the morning to afternoon, along with the potential for sporadic rain in the afternoon to evening or early morning. According to him, although rain has occurred consecutively in recent days, it is expected to return to partly cloudy conditions ahead. Based on the latest monitoring results from BMKG in the local area, the El Niño value for the May to June period shows a figure of minus 0.5. This indicates a decrease in rainfall due to changes in sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean, thereby affecting wind patterns in the Indonesian region. According to him, the start of the dry season, which typically occurs in June, is estimated to advance to the third decade of May this year. Meanwhile, the peak of the dry season is predicted to occur from June to July and has the potential to continue until August, or even September 2026. Jaya said that the El Niño phenomenon also impacts the nature of rainfall, which will be below normal. This is because the rainfall during the dry season, which typically ranges around 100 millimetres per month, is estimated not to be achieved within a period of one to three months. Such conditions increase the potential for drought, especially in forest and peatland areas, which become more susceptible to forest and land fires.