BMKG Strengthens Early Detection System for Tropical Cyclones
The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has officially commissioned a state-of-the-art S-Band weather radar facility in Cilacap Regency, Central Java. This strategic step aims to strengthen the early detection system against potential tropical cyclone seeds that frequently threaten the southern coastal regions of Java.
Head of BMKG, Teuku Faisal Fathani, stated that the presence of this radar constitutes an important line of defence for Indonesia. This is based on the historical record of destructive impacts from tropical cyclones in the southern region, such as Cyclone Cempaka and Cyclone Dahlia south of Yogyakarta in 2017, and Cyclone Seroja in East Nusa Tenggara in 2021.
“The southern coast plays a strategic role in maritime activity, fisheries, transport, industry, and disaster preparedness. Therefore, all of these require fast and reliable weather data support,” said Faisal in his official statement in Jakarta on Wednesday (8/7).
Cilacap was chosen as the location because of its geographical position facing directly onto the Indian Ocean and the high density of economic activity in the region. The S-Band radar has the capability to monitor various weather parameters in real time, including:
In addition, precision data from this radar will be used to guide Weather Modification Operations (OMC) to minimise the risk of hydrometeorological disasters, such as the landslides that struck the area last year. For the economic sector, this facility guarantees the operational safety of fishermen and maintains the stability of Cilacap’s fishing industry, the main supplier of protein in Central Java.
The procurement of the radar in Cilacap forms part of the strategic Marine Meteorological System Phase II (MMS-2) project. Under this project, BMKG is building and rejuvenating a number of radar infrastructures at national priority points.
Nationally, BMKG is targeting a total of 75 weather radars to cover the entire airspace of the archipelago. To date, 45 radars are already in operation, and the government is committed to adding to that number in stages to strengthen the atmospheric observation network across Indonesia. (Ant/I-1)