BMKG: Tropical Cyclone Seed 94W Triggers Heavy Rain in Sumatra

The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has detected the emergence of Tropical Cyclone Seed 94W in the Philippine Sea, which has the potential to trigger increased heavy rain in several parts of Indonesia. BMKG forecaster Henokhavita, in a weather information update monitored from Jakarta on Monday, stated that the cyclone seed was observed to have a maximum wind speed of 25 knots and an air pressure of 1006 hectopascals (hPa). “Tropical Cyclone Seed 94W is moving west-northwest and is forming convergence and confluence zones that significantly increase the potential for rain cloud growth,” she said. She explained that the combination of atmospheric dynamics from the cyclone seed system is causing the potential for heavy to very heavy rainfall, particularly in the regions of Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra. In addition to being triggered by Tropical Cyclone Seed 94W, areas of wind speed slowdown or convergence have also formed stretching across the west coast of Aceh, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, and the western Java Sea. For the weather forecast in major cities in western Indonesia, BMKG predicts the potential for rain accompanied by lightning in Padang and Pontianak, with moderate rain in Bengkulu City. Light rain is likely to fall in Medan, Pekanbaru, Tanjung Pinang, Jambi, Bandar Lampung, Serang, Semarang, and Tanjung Selor. The Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta, Surabaya, Palembang, and Banjarmasin areas are predicted to be predominantly cloudy to heavily overcast throughout the day. BMKG has urged local governments and communities in areas affected by the potential heavy rain to increase preparedness to anticipate hydrometeorological disaster risks.