Mount Bromo Blanketed in 'Snow' as Extreme Temperatures Plunge to 2 Degrees Celsius

An unusual sight appeared at Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park in East Java. On Monday morning, the sand sea and vegetation around Mount Bromo’s caldera appeared white after being covered in a thin layer resembling snow. The phenomenon, known locally as embun upas or frost, emerged earlier than usual as Indonesia enters the dry season. Air temperatures in the Mount Bromo area reportedly plunged drastically, reaching 2 to 5 degrees Celsius in the early hours before dawn. This rare phenomenon is a major draw for sunrise chasers. The usually dark grey sand expanse transforms into a glittering white stretch when hit by the morning sunlight. Small lakes around the savanna also appeared frozen on the surface. Embun upas occurs when dew formed overnight freezes due to the extremely cold air temperatures. According to Bromo tour guide Bambang, many visitors deliberately arrive before sunrise because the ice layer melts quickly once the weather warms up. This annual phenomenon always serves as a unique attraction for tourists wanting to experience Bromo in a different atmosphere. According to Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency, the embun upas occurs due to the flow of the Australian monsoon wind, which carries cold and dry air masses towards Indonesia. In highlands like Bromo, the absence of clouds at night causes the Earth’s heat to escape maximally into the atmosphere. As a result, the air temperature at ground level drops drastically past the freezing point, turning morning dew directly into ice crystals.