INDOPOSCO.ID – Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has issued an early warning for potential light to heavy rainfall, possibly accompanied by lightning and strong winds, in a number of major cities across the country on Saturday (Jan 24, 2026).
As quoted from BMKG’s official website in Jakarta, forecaster Diah Ayu explained that convergence zones are generally extending over the southern Arafura Sea, South Papua, the western coast of the North Pacific Ocean near Halmahera Island, and the northwest Pacific Ocean off Papua.
These conditions are expected to increase the likelihood of rain cloud formation along areas affected by convergence or confluence.
Accordingly, BMKG forecasts that several major cities may experience moderate to very heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and strong winds, including Jakarta, Serang, Denpasar, Jayapura, and Merauke.
Meanwhile, other major cities are expected to see light to moderate rainfall, namely Tanjung Pinang, Palembang, Bandung, Semarang, Yogyakarta, Tanjung Selor, Mataram, Kupang, Mamuju, Makassar, Kendari, Manokwari, Nabire, and Jayawijaya.
Several other major cities are forecast to experience generally cloudy conditions today, including Banda Aceh, Medan, Pekanbaru, Jambi, Bengkulu, Bandar Lampung, Pangkal Pinang, Surabaya, Pontianak, Palangkaraya, Banjarmasin, Samarinda, Palu, Gorontalo, Manado, Ternate, Ambon, and Sorong.
Previously, on Friday (Jan 23), the central government urged provincial and regency/city administrations in areas classified under alert and warning levels for hydrometeorological disasters to activate emergency response posts and command systems.
“BMKG’s early warning documents must serve as a direct reference for regional heads and all local government agencies in activating preparedness systems,” said Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Pratikno.
BMKG has also released the Indonesia Weather Early Warning and Weekly Weather Outlook for the period of January 23–29, 2026.
Based on BMKG’s official document, several regions are categorized at the Alert to Warning levels for heavy to extreme rainfall during the January 23–25, 2026 period. On January 23, 2026, BMKG designated Banten, DKI Jakarta, and East Java under the highest warning level for very heavy to extreme rainfall. (aro)
