Meteorological stations across the country recorded the highest air temperature of 37 C since Oct.19.
he Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has issued warnings that areas south of the equator, predominantly across Java and Nusa Tenggara islands, which include Jakarta and its surroundings, would be exposed to hot temperatures until Sunday.
The agency’s meteorological stations on Java and Nusa Tenggara recorded temperatures ranging from 35 degrees to 36.5 degrees Celsius on Saturday and Sunday.
Meanwhile, the intense heat that spread across the capital on Monday was measured at 36.5 C during the day despite strong winds. The temperature was estimated to be 35 C on Tuesday.
The agency reported that the high temperatures occurred because of the apparent motion of the sun. In September, the sun was directly over the equator but as the Earth's northern hemisphere tilted away from the center of the solar system, the sun appeared to move directly over areas of the southern hemisphere.
However, the agency stated, the Earth's motion was a normal cycle that repeated annually, so such high temperatures should be expected every year at the same time.
“It causes more solar radiation to be received by the Earth’s surface in regions south of the equator, so that the air temperatures will increase during the day,” BMKG’s weather forecast and early warning division head, Miming Saepudin, said in a written statement on Tuesday.
“In the last two days, the atmosphere in the southern part of Indonesia has been relatively dry, so it has hindered the growth of clouds that can function to block the scorching heat of the sun.”
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