Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — A drop in temperature during dry season, locally known as bediding, has begun to sweep across parts of Indonesia, with cooler-than-usual weather being felt in Java, Bali, and the Nusa Tenggara islands.
The chill is a common occurrence during the dry season, which typically spans July to September, according to the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG).
Guswanto, BMKG’s Deputy for Meteorology, stated that the current cool spell is expected to last through the end of July.
“BMKG forecasts that these cooler temperatures will persist until late July, with daytime highs in Jakarta and surrounding areas ranging from 25 to 27 degrees Celsius, and nighttime lows dropping to around 25 degrees Celsius,” he said, as reported by CNN Indonesia.
One of the main factors driving the chill is the Australian monsoon—a seasonal wind that blows from Australia toward Asia, passing over Indonesia and the cooler waters of the Indian Ocean. This wind is typically dry and carries minimal moisture, contributing to lower nighttime temperatures.
“This wind carries very little humidity, and as a result, nighttime temperatures can reach their minimums, making the air feel noticeably colder,” Guswanto explained.
Another contributing factor is the presence of tropical storms north of Indonesia, particularly east of the Philippines, which are strengthening the airflow from Australia toward Asia. This, in turn, intensifies the cooling effect, especially in parts of western Java, where higher humidity levels amplify the sensation of cold.
BMKG notes that the bediding phenomenon is climatologically normal during Indonesia’s dry season. With cloudless skies, the Earth’s surface radiates heat more directly into the atmosphere at night, making early mornings particularly chilly.
While the colder conditions are typical, BMKG is advising the public to remain vigilant, especially regarding health impacts that could arise from prolonged exposure to cooler temperatures.
Read Also:
The recent cold snap has been linked by some to the aphelion, a celestial event when Earth is at its farthest point from the sun in its orbit. However, BMKG officials have firmly debunked this connection.
Ardhasena Sopaheluwakan, Deputy for Climatology at BMKG, clarified that aphelion is not the cause of Indonesia’s cooler temperatures.
“The chilly nighttime temperatures people are experiencing, what Javanese people call bediding are seasonal in nature. There’s no causal link to aphelion, although both occur around the same time,” Ardhasena said.
He emphasized that aphelion happens annually but does not drive localized weather patterns. The cooler weather, he said, is primarily the result of dry Australian monsoon winds.
“That’s why the nights feel colder, and even the days aren’t as hot compared to other months when there’s more moisture in the air and the atmosphere feels more humid,” he added.
Ardhasena further explained that if aphelion were the root cause, the cooling would be a global phenomenon, not one limited to southern Indonesia. “Aphelion is planetary in scale, so if it were the reason, we’d expect the entire globe to cool, which simply isn’t the case,” he concluded.
(Raidi/Agung)
