Indonesia Intensifies Year-End Weather Response Amidst Extreme Weather Warnings

Government Strengthens Mitigation Efforts for Year-End Holidays

Indonesia's Coordinating Ministry for Infrastructure and Regional Development has intensified its collaboration with the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) to bolster extreme weather mitigation strategies during the upcoming Christmas and New Year 2025-2026 holiday period. This initiative aims to ensure public safety and smooth mobility amidst forecasts of challenging weather conditions across the archipelago. The ministry, established on October 21, 2024, and led by Coordinating Minister Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY), oversees key sectors including Public Works, Housing, and Transportation.

Forecasts Indicate Heightened Risk of Extreme Weather

The BMKG has issued warnings regarding the potential for extreme weather, including heavy rainfall, strong winds, and elevated sea waves, influenced by several atmospheric phenomena. These include the active Asian monsoon, Madden-Julian Oscillation, atmospheric waves, a weak La Niña, and the negative Indian Ocean Dipole. While some earlier predictions suggested stable conditions, recent assessments from December 2025 highlight a heightened risk.

Specific regions are expected to experience heavy to very heavy rainfall, notably parts of Riau, Bengkulu, West Java, Central Java, East Java, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), West, East, and South Kalimantan, Central, West, and South Sulawesi, and South Papua. The peak of the rainy season for areas such as Java, Bali, and Nusa Tenggara is anticipated in January 2026. Furthermore, the BMKG is closely monitoring tropical cyclones, including Cyclone Bakung, Invest 93S, and Invest 95S, which could contribute to increased rainfall intensity and high waves.

Proactive Measures and Official Directives

In response to these forecasts, comprehensive mitigation measures are being implemented:

• Intensified Monitoring: BMKG has deployed personnel to various command posts for continuous weather monitoring, observations, and analysis, providing real-time updates to relevant government bodies.
• Transportation Safety: Areas prone to heavy rainfall have been mapped to enhance safety for land, sea, and air transportation. Information on sea waves is being shared with Harbormaster and Port Authority Offices (KSOP) to guide shipping operations.
• Weather Modification: Cloud seeding operations using sodium chloride have commenced at six locations across Sumatra, Java, and Nusa Tenggara. These operations aim to reduce rainfall intensity by 20% to 50%, mitigating potential impacts.
• Inter-Agency Coordination: The Coordinating Ministry for Infrastructure and Regional Development is working with agencies like the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) and local governments, particularly for regions such as Greater Jakarta.
• Humanitarian Aid: The Coordinating Ministry for Infrastructure and Regional Development has dispatched 250 tonnes of humanitarian aid and emergency infrastructure to areas in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra, which were affected by floods and landslides in November.

President Prabowo Subianto has urged officials to adopt adaptive, science-based infrastructure strategies to address potential extreme weather nationwide. Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Pratikno also emphasized the government's focus on cross-sectoral consolidation to ensure optimal anticipation and public safety during the holiday period.

Public Advisory for Travelers

With an estimated 119.50 million people expected to travel during the year-end holidays, the public is strongly advised to remain vigilant. BMKG Public Meteorology Director Andri Ramdhani urged citizens to monitor official BMKG updates, utilize the InfoBMKG application, and be aware of potential risks, including floods and landslides, especially in coastal or hilly areas. Travelers should also familiarize themselves with evacuation routes and assembly points.