Extreme Heat Strikes Jakarta and Surroundings; BMKG Explains Causes

Jakarta — The sweltering heat gripping the Jakarta region and its surroundings has intensified over recent days. Dr Andi Ramdhani, Acting Deputy for Meteorology at the Indonesian Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency (BMKG), stated that this hot weather is a common seasonal phenomenon.

“Such conditions are fairly typical during seasonal transitions, when daytime skies tend to be clearer, resulting in stronger surface heating,” he said in a statement on Sunday (15 March 2026). “This allows solar radiation to be received by the surface more optimally,” he added.

Furthermore, Ramdhani noted that relatively weak wind speeds have prevented effective natural cooling processes at the surface. In urban areas like Jakarta, the heat is particularly intense due to the urban heat island effect — the tendency of cities to retain heat longer than surrounding areas.

The BMKG recorded maximum air temperatures in Jakarta of 35.4 degrees Celsius in recent days, particularly in East Jakarta. According to Ramdhani, atmospheric conditions currently do not favour increased rainfall cloud formation in the Jakarta metropolitan area.

He noted that daytime heat is likely to persist in the coming period, especially when cloud cover decreases. “For Jakarta and surrounding areas, the early dry season is forecast to begin around April to May 2026, so clearer daytime weather conditions are likely to become more frequent,” he concluded.