More Than Just Heat: The Impact of Godzilla El Niño in Jakarta and Surrounding Areas

The “Godzilla” El Niño phenomenon is predicted to potentially influence Indonesia’s weather, including Jakarta and surrounding areas such as Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi, from April to October 2026. The impacts of this Godzilla El Niño are varied, particularly in the form of reduced rainfall, hotter temperatures, and risks to public health. Based on explanations from the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the term “Godzilla” is not an official scientific category in climatology. Scientifically, El Niño is only divided into weak, moderate, and strong categories. The term “Godzilla” is used to describe a very strong El Niño with widespread impacts, such as that which occurred in 2015. This term was first popularised by scientist Bill Patzert to describe extreme El Niño anomalies. In Indonesia, the concept is then linked to a combination of positive El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), which could worsen dry conditions. As a result, cloud formation shifts to the central Pacific, and rainfall in Indonesia, including Jakarta, tends to decrease. According to the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), this condition could become stronger if accompanied by a positive IOD, which causes sea temperatures around Sumatra and Java to cool. The impact is a further reduction in cloud formation and a potentially longer dry season.