Pontianak, W Kalimantan (ANTARA) - West Kalimantan residents must remain alert for extreme weather on account of the La Nina phenomenon during the period from December 2021 to January 2022, an official has said.
"It is known that the 2019 La Nina occurred in the middle of the year and this is the end of the year, so usually if the level reaches two, an El Nino phenomenon could appear," head of the Mempawah Climatology Station, West Kalimantan, Luhur Tri Uji Prayitno, said in Pontianak on Friday.
The La Nina cycle is erratic and can range from three to even seven years, he noted. For the current La Nina cycle, December 2021 will be the peak, so people must be prepared so its impact can be minimized, he said.
"At the end of this month we have to be careful because there could still be an increase in rainfall," Prayitno warned.
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He cited data projecting a 20–40 percent increase in rainfall in the West Kalimantan region in December 2021. The increase in rainfall is expected to occur in upstream, middle, and coastal areas, he said.
"Rainfall will increase by 20 percent, from the Sambas and Bengkayang areas it will increase by 40 percent, then the Singkawang, Landak, Mempawah, Pontianak, Sanggau, Sintang, Kubu Raya and North Kayong areas will also experience a 40-percent increase in rainfall," he elaborated.
In January 2022, rainfall is forecast to rise 20 percent, but in some areas, the increase is expected to be more than 40 percent, Prayitno said.
"(In) January 2022, the areas of Sambas, Bengkayang, Singkawang, Landak, Mempawah, and Pontianak will experience an increase (in rainfall) of up to 40 percent," he informed.
After March 2022, the climate is predicted to be neutral, he noted. In March, rainfall is still expected to increase, but compared to normal rainfall, the increase will almost be the same, which is 20 percent, he said. Thereafter, the precipitation will decrease until it returns to normal, he predicted.
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