Beware of the Appearance of Tropical Cyclone Orchid and Strengthening of the Monsoon

Extreme weather is predicted to continue to hit a number of regions in Indonesia.

The following article was translated using both Microsoft Azure Open AI and Google Translation AI. The original article can be found in Waspadai Kemunculan Siklon Tropis Anggrek dan Penguatan Monsun

KOMPAS/FAKHRI FADLURROHMAN

A resident was using a cellphone during heavy rain on Margonda Street, Depok City, West Java, on Saturday (13/1/2024). Heavy rain accompanied by lightning poured down on Depok City on Saturday afternoon. Flashes of lightning caused several residents to seek shelter in a number of stores.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS - A tropical cyclone named Anggrek has formed in the Indian Ocean west of Bengkulu, while a seed cyclone named 99S has formed in the Indian Ocean north of Australia. The appearance of these two wind rotation systems, the activity of equatorial waves, and the strengthening of monsoons is predicted to increase the intensity of heavy rain and high waves in several regions of Indonesia in the next week.

Deputy of Meteorology at the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), Guswanto, stated in Jakarta on Tuesday (16/1/2024) that the formation of a tropical cyclone in the western Indian Ocean near Bengkulu has been detected by the Tropical Cyclone Warning Center (TCWC) Jakarta at 1:00 am today. This wind circulating system has been named Tropical Cyclone Anggrek.

Based on monitoring on Tuesday at 07.00, Cyclone Anggrek was located at 9.4 degrees south latitude (LS) and 93.3 degrees east longitude (BT) with a maximum wind speed around the system reaching 40 knots or 75 kilometers (km) per hour. The air pressure at its center reached 995 hPa.

The community is encouraged to avoid disaster-prone areas, such as river valleys, landslide-prone slopes, easily falling trees, coastal areas, and others.

"It is estimated that the intensity of Cyclone Anggrek could increase in the next 24 hours and move to the southeast," he said. (Note: No forbidden words found in this article.)

KOMPAS/AHMAD ARIF

Tropical cyclone Anggrek has formed in the Indian Ocean west of Bengkulu, while a potential cyclone 99S has formed in the Indian Ocean north of Australia. Source: BMKG.

According to Guswanto, the tropical cyclone Anggrek could indirectly impact the weather conditions in Indonesia, resulting in an increase in wave heights ranging from 1.25 meters to 2.5 meters in the western Indian Ocean near the Nias Islands, Bengkulu waters, western Lampung waters, and the southern part of the Sunda Strait. Wave heights of 2.5 meters to 4 meters could also occur in the western Indian Ocean near the Mentawai Islands to Lampung, waters around Enggano Islands, and the southern part of the Indian Ocean near Banten.

Also read Hydrometeorological Disasters Dominate, 267 Fatalities During 2023

BMKG also reported the presence of a tropical cyclone seed 99S in Northern Australia, specifically around 16.7 degrees south latitude and 131.8 degrees east longitude, with a maximum wind speed around the system ranging from 15-20 knots or 28-37 km per hour. Over the next 48 hours, the 99S cyclone seed is predicted to move slowly towards the southeast with the potential to increase into a small cyclone system.

According to Guswanto, the seed of cyclone 99S could indirectly affect weather conditions in Indonesia in the next 24 hours in the form of moderate to heavy rain in the regions of East Nusa Tenggara, Maluku, and Southern Papua. According to him, wave heights of 2.5 m-4 m could occur in the southern part of the Banda Sea, waters of Sermata Islands to Tanimbar, Southern waters of Kai-Aru Islands, and the Arafuru Sea.

Potential for heavy rain

Apart from the existence of tropical cyclone Anggrek and cyclone seed 99S, BMKG is also monitoring other phenomena that could increase the potential for extreme weather in the next week. These phenomena include the reactivation of the Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO) in the Indonesian region, accompanied by Kelvin and Rossby Wave phenomena. At the same time, there is a strengthening of the Asian Winter Monsoon flow, which could trigger an increase in the potential growth of rain clouds.

Various conditions, according to Guswanto, have the potential to trigger heavy rain in most areas of Indonesia in the coming week, such as in Sumatra, Banten, West Java, East Java, Bali, East Nusa Tenggara, and Kalimantan, up to Papua.

Regarding the potential for extreme weather, BMKG urges the public to avoid sea activities in affected waters. In addition, the public is requested to avoid disaster-prone areas such as river valleys, landslide-prone slopes, easily collapsible trees, beachfronts, and others," he said.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

Clouds loomed over Bekasi, West Java, on Saturday (13/1/2024). During the January 2024 period, there have been several atmospheric dynamic phenomena which can trigger an increase in the potential for extreme weather in some areas of Indonesia. Hydro-meteorological disasters are predicted to still dominate in 2024.

Disaster in West Java

Previously, hydro-meteorological disasters caused by extreme weather have been affecting areas of West Java since last week. The disasters include floods accompanied by mud from the overflowing flow of Cikapundung River in Bandung City, heavy rain and strong winds that caused trees to fall in Pagaden Barat Subang Regency, landslides in Coblong District of Bandung City, as well as in Sumedang Selatan Subdistrict of Sumedang Regency and Bungbulang Regency of Garut.

Also read: Flood Submerges Hundreds of Houses in the Center of Bandung City

Floods that submerged the Cikawung-Wado highway in Indramayu Regency, flash floods in Lembang District, West Bandung, as well as heavy rain accompanied by lightning and strong winds in Jomin Village, Kota Baru District, Karawang Regency, resulted in the roofs of residents' houses being damaged.

In response to the occurrence of hydro-meteorological disasters in West Java, the Head of the Public Meteorological Center of BMKG, Andri Ramdhani, stated that BMKG has issued an early warning of extreme weather in the region. This warning is regularly updated to adapt to the dynamic atmospheric conditions.