The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency urged citizens and tourists visiting Bali to watch out for rising tides, floods, landslides, and strong winds.
The Denpasar branch of the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) has recently announced its latest weather prediction, particularly what residents and visitors in Bali can expect in the next few days. According to the agency, it is likely that the Island of Gods will be swept by extreme weather in the middle of March. The agency, furthermore, specified that the extreme weather might reach its peak within the time window between the 13th of March and the 15th of March.
According to Cahyo Nugroho, the head of the Denpasar branch of the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency, the extreme weather will likely be caused by the convergence of the clouds which happens to occur in the skies of Bali.
“We ask everyone [in Bali] to remain vigilant of the impact this extreme weather might generate, such as strong winds, rising tides, floods, landslides, and falling trees,” Nugroho told the press on Tuesday, the 12th of March.
The analysis conducted by the agency later showed that the tides around the shores of Bali could rise as high as 2.5 metres, with the speed of the surrounding winds reaching as intense as 55.5 kilometres per hour. According to the agency, winds could be considered extreme once their speed exceeds 46 kilometres per hour.
Considering the incoming extreme weather, the agency advised local fishermen to remain cautious once the wind velocity in the seas starts exceeding 15 knots or, approximately, 27.78 kilometres per hour, and once the sea waves start appearing 1.25 metres higher than usual.
To the ferry operators in Bali, the agency advised them to remain cautious once the wind velocity in the seas starts exceeding 21 knots or, approximately, 38.89 kilometres per hour, as well as when the sea waves start appearing 2.5 metres higher than usual.
The agency, moreover, predicted the same extreme weather in the neighbouring regions of Bali, including Lombok and Sumba islands.
“Please be careful of possible extreme weather in West Nusa Tenggara — from the 11th of March until the 16th of March,” Satria Topan Primadi, on behalf of the Lombok branch of the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency, told the press as well.