Prepare for a Longer, Drier Dry Season This Year

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) forecasts that the 2026 dry season will arrive earlier in many regions and last longer than usual. Not only that, the majority of areas are also expected to experience drier-than-average conditions.

BMKG Chief Teuku Faisal Fathani said the agency regularly communicates climate information to support various development sectors. The information products include monthly rainfall predictions, climate bulletins, seasonal rainfall and dry-season forecasts, and other sectoral climate services.

A total of 114 dry-season zones—or around 16.3 percent of the total 699 zones—are forecast to have entered the dry season by April 2026. ‘The dry season’s onset in many parts of Indonesia is predicted in April, with 114 dry-season zones or about 16.3 percent of all zones in Indonesia, totalling 699,’ Teuku said at a press conference cited by Kompas TV, on Wednesday (4 March 2026).

Then in May 2026, about 184 dry-season zones or 26.3% of the area will follow into the dry season. In June 2026, about 163 dry-season zones or 23.3% of the area are forecast to begin experiencing the dry season.

Compared to the climatological average for 1991-2020, about 325 zones or 46.5% of areas are predicted to experience an early onset that is earlier than normal. Meanwhile 173 zones or 23.7% are expected to have an onset roughly in line with normal conditions.

Not only will it arrive sooner, the 2026 dry season is also expected to be drier. BMKG predicts that rainfall accumulation during the dry-season period in 451 dry-season zones or around 46.5% of areas will be in the below-normal category.