Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) reminded the public to be aware of hot temperatures during the daytime until mid-May 2022.

"We remind the public to maintain their body's stamina by consuming adequate body fluids, especially for people engaging in outdoor activities during the day," Meteorology Deputy in BMKG, Guswanto, noted in a written statement received here, Monday.

Guswanto later explained that the hot temperature phenomena that occurred in the last few days had been triggered by several aspects, specifically the apparent position of the sun that is now in the north of the equator, which indicates that some parts of Indonesia will begin to enter the dry season, wherein the rate of cloud growth and the phenomenon of rain will reduce, thereby making the weather hotter during the day.

The dominance of sunny weather and low cloud levels can optimize the reception of sunlight on the Earth's surface, thereby causing the temperature conditions to be quite hot during the day, he explained.

Guswanto emphasized that the scorching heat that occurred in Indonesia's territory was not a heatwave phenomenon.

According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), a heatwave is a phenomenon of prolonged hot air conditions for five or more days in a row wherein the daily maximum temperature is higher than the average maximum temperature of up to five degrees Celsius or more.

The heatwave phenomena usually occurs in middle-high latitudes, such as Europe and America, which are triggered by atmospheric dynamics at middle latitudes. Meanwhile, Indonesia's territory experiences the phenomenon of hot temperature conditions on a daily variability scale.

The BMKG noted that the maximum temperature measured on May 1-7, 2022, ranged from 33 to 36.1 degrees Celsius, with the highest maximum temperature of up to 36.1 degrees Celsius recorded in the Tangerang-Banten and Kalimarau-North Kalimantan regions.

The highest maximum temperature in Indonesia in April for the last 4-5 years was recorded at around 38.8 degrees Celsius in Palembang in 2019, while in May, it was recorded at around 38.8 degrees Celsius in Temindung Samarinda in 2018, Guswanto explained.

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Translator: Desi Purnamawati, Resinta S
Editor: Suharto
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