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Weather agency warns of whirlwinds, ice rain
The Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has warned the public and airline companies of whirlwinds and ice rain during the transition into the dry season
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he Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has warned the public and airline companies of whirlwinds and ice rain during the transition into the dry season.
BMKG spokesperson A. Fachri Radjab said on Sunday that a number of regions in the country were currently seeing the end of the rainy season and the passage into the dry season, and that during the transition, whirlwinds and ice-rain phenomena would be frequent occurrences.
'During the transition period, the atmospheric condition is quite dynamic and changes in weather conditions happen faster,' Antara news agency quoted him as saying.
He added that during the transition period, which would last until early March, cumulonimbus clouds had the potential to form from the middle of the day until the nighttime.
He went on that whirlwinds and icy downpours were threatening a number of regions, including Klaten in Central Java, Yogyakarta, Bandung in West Java and Bengkulu.
Fachri explained that the cumulonimbus (CB) phenomenon, which is triggered by large differences in temperature between the morning and the middle of the day, had caused whirlwinds and ice rain in those provinces and that the whirlwinds' pattern was similar to a small-scale tornado.
'The public and civilian aircraft flying through those provinces should be cautious of the whirlwinds and the CB phenomenon,' he said.
The CB phenomenon is suspected to have caused the AirAsia QZ8501 tragedy that lead to the deaths of 162 passengers and crew in the Karimata Strait on Dec. 28, 2014.
On Thursday, a strong whirlwind hit Ngawi in Central Java and Kepahiang in Bengkulu, leaving many locals injured and damaging hundreds of houses and other buildings in the two regencies. (rms)
