Dry season expected from April to September

JAKARTA (JP): The Meteorology and Geophysics Agency predicted Indonesia would have a "normal" dry season running from April to September this year, with no peculiar weather patterns expected.

Based on its own analysis and models created by several international meteorological agencies, the agency said the weather in the country would remain neutral for at least the next six months.

"That means the upcoming dry season will be normal. There will still be normal levels of rain, though in some regions like East Nusa Tenggara rainfall levels are predicted to be below normal," the agency's head of analysis and data processing, Hery Harjanto, said.

The agency predicted the unusual weather patterns that have hit the country over the past few years, such as El Nino, were unlikely to occur over the next 12 months

"Within the next two months, however, we have to be on the alert for sudden heavy rains. This is because there are still many clouds around the equator, which can cause heavy rains and strong wind," he said.

Up to the end of March is a transition period, during which heavy rainfall will continue to affect most of Indonesia, he said.

According to Hery, the dry season will begin at different times for different areas of the country.

The 26 regions in Central Java, East Java, Bali and Nusa Tenggara will be the first to enter the dry season, sometime around April.

For the rest of the regions, including Jakarta, the dry season is expected to begin between May and June.

This dry season is expected to be marked by normal to below- normal rainfall compared to past dry seasons, although some regions will see rainfalls levels that are above normal.

This year, below-normal rainfall is predicted for Pandeglang and Lebak in Banten; northern Cianjur, northern Sukabumi and western Bandung in West Java; Banyumas, Purbalingga, Banjarnegara, Wonosobo, west of Temanggung and around Mount Merapi and Merbabu in Central Java; most of Yogyakarta and Surakarta, and most of East Java.

This will also be the situation in several areas in Bali, western Lombok in West Nusa Tenggara, most of Sumbawa Besar island, most of South Sulawesi, parts of southeast Maluku and southern Merauke in Irian Jaya.

Those regions expected to have above-normal rainfall are northern Serang in Banten; Greater Jakarta; northern Pamanukan, Indramayu, southern Bandung, northern Garut, Tasikmalaya, Ciamis, eastern Cirebon and northern Kuningan in West Java; Brebes, northern Tegal, Pemalang and Pekalongan in Central Java; around Mount Semeru, Blitar, Malang, southern Pasuruan and Probolinggo in East Java.

Other regions that can expect above-normal rainfall are South Sumatra, Sorolangun in Jambi, Rejanglebong in Bengkulu, Batanghari, Bungotebo, Indragiri Hilir, Tanjung Jabung, western South Kalimantan, eastern Central Kalimantan, northern Minahasa and most of eastern Jayapura.(hdn)