Jabodetabek Still Hit by Extreme Rain, BRIN Explains Why the Public Should Not Panic

The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) is monitoring rain clouds originating from the Indian Ocean region that are instead falling over Jabodetabek. These rain clouds should normally head towards eastern Indonesia.

This was stated by the Lead Senior Researcher at BRIN’s Centre for Climate and Atmospheric Research, Prof Eddy Hermawan, in response to the rainfall over the past few days in Jabodetabek. Eddy observed that large clouds are still forming in the Indian Ocean.

According to Eddy, these clouds should already be actively moving eastwards. However, their movement is hindered by the Pacific Ocean not yet warming sufficiently to draw them in.

“Meanwhile, from the east, the Pacific Ocean hasn’t warmed up much yet. This neutrality means it isn’t strong enough to pull these large clouds from the Indian Ocean towards the central Pacific, which would pass through Indonesian territory, right? As a result, these large clouds can’t freely leave western Indonesia,” said Eddy to Republika on Wednesday (6/5/2026).

Eddy explained several factors why these rain clouds are spilling over Jabodetabek. First, the heat in the Jabodetabek area can attract the clouds. Second, Jakarta’s coastline is relatively gentle and supported by Jakarta Bay.

“From the perspective of heating, Jakarta as a metropolitan city and the area producing the largest emissions creates a centre of low pressure around there, which is why they fall in the Jakarta region,” he said.

Eddy predicts the rain will decrease until the end of May. Following that, Indonesia will enter the dry season in June. This month is the transition period from the rainy to the dry season.

“So May is the end of the rainy-dry transition season. What’s the indication? Rainfall is still there, though not with high intensity. Meaning, with just one or two days of heavy rain in a month, we’ve passed that phase. This is the end of the May transition season,” said Eddy.

Given this situation, Eddy urged the public not to panic. He observed that the weather isn’t turning extremely severe.

“No need to panic, because it won’t possibly become a very extreme condition,” he said.