BMKG warns of potential turbulence in eastern Indonesia

Jakarta — Indonesia’s Agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics (BMKG) has warned of potential turbulence and adverse weather conditions that could affect aviation activities, particularly in eastern Indonesia during the March 2026 period.

According to BMKG Chief Teuku Faisal Fathani, the potential turbulence and weather disruptions are driven by the growth of cumulonimbus clouds.

He explained that cumulonimbus clouds are a type of convective cloud that can trigger various extreme weather phenomena, including heavy rain, lightning, and strong winds. Such conditions can increase the potential for turbulence along flight routes and trigger operational disruptions at several airports.

Beyond turbulence concerns, BMKG has also identified several atmospheric dynamics affecting Indonesia’s weather conditions during March, including the Asian monsoon bringing increased water vapour, the Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO), atmospheric waves, and the potential development of tropical cyclone seeds in southern Indonesian waters.

These phenomena can trigger increased convective cloud activity in several regions, particularly in eastern and central Indonesia.

BMKG also reported that tropical cyclone seed 95W has developed into Tropical Cyclone Nuri, which is estimated to move northwards or eastwards, moving away from Indonesian territory, although it may still have indirect impacts on weather conditions and waters in some areas.

To support transportation safety, Faisal stated that BMKG continues to update weather information for the aviation sector through its System of Interactive Aviation Meteorology (INASIAM) service, which provides real-time aviation weather monitoring for stakeholders in the air transport sector.