Victoria storm near Melbourne, Australia. (ABCNews.au/Luci Trotter )

“The waves in East Java`s southern waters reached 2 to 2.5 meters high. Meanwhile their height in the northern waters reached at 0.5 to 1.3 meters. It means the situation is still conducive and the storm has not yet affected maritime conditions,” said Information and Data Staff of the Tanjung Perak BMKG service, Eko Prasetyo, here on Thursday.

The Victoria storm is located 15 degrees south latitude, 105 degrees east longitude, south of Sumatra Island and west of Australia.

According to Eko, the storm has not affected weather conditions in Indonesia.

“The storm is not the cause of the current extreme weather in Indonesia. The current condition is rather the effect of a weather transitional period,” Eko said.

He predicted that E Java would be in the weather transitional period from April to May 2013 while the dry season will occur in June. He predicted that the coastal area of E Java will enter the dry season earlier than the inland region.

“The weather changes quickly when the region enters the weather transition period; from sunny to cloudy and then rainy conditions. Besides, the wind can also change directions easily as it has happened recently,” he said.

Regarding recent flooding in several areas in E Java such as Bojonegoro, Sampang, Gresik, and Lamongan Eko said rain may still happen during the transitional period although the intensity is low.

The rain precipitation in E Java in recent days is still below 60 millimeters, he said.

“However, if environment conditions are not good well the rain could cause flooding. That`s why the drainage system should be maintained,” Eko said.

Source: Antara News | Author: Priyambodo RH

Strong whirlwinds – known locally an “angin putting beliung” caused damage in several areas of Bali on Monday, February 25, 2013.

In Tabanan, West Bali, 15 homes and several other structures were damaged by high winds and falling trees.

On the opposite side of the island in Gianyar regency, falling trees also struck and damaged a number of houses.

Both incidents happened at around 3:00 pm on Monday afternoon.

Photo/illustration: Susan Caplan

In Tabanan, the winds blew in from a westerly direction. In the hamlet of Cekik, in the village of Berembeng, winds destroyed four chicken pens owned by Made Jimat. The winds leveled the large-scale chicken breeding facility and destroyed heating equipment powered by bottled gas, resulting in a fire that caused further damage. The total damage to the poultry production center was put at Rp. 500 million (US$50,000).

When the strong winds shifted to the east, they caused damage in the villages of Samsaman Kelod, Kukuh and Kerambitan – all in Tabanan. Four homes were severely damaged together with less formal housing used by local residents.

Also in Tabanan, at a cemetery in the village of Denbantas, a large tree believed to be more than 100-years-old fell over a main roadway. Traffic was disrupted between Tabanan and Penebel before local citizens managed to clear the road at 06:00 am the following morning.

High winds also played havoc with two Bali temples (pura) in the Kediri sub district: Pura Puseh Desa Pakramam Pandak Gede and Pura Puseh Pejaten. A seven-tiered ceremonial tower at Pura Puseh Desa Pakrama Pandak Gede was leveled by the strong winds. Damage to the two temples is put at hundreds of millions of Rupiahs.

Continue reading, here.

Source: Bali Discovery

“The body was found around 8:30 a.m. and was immediately taken to Sanglah Hospital for forensic examination,” Bali Disaster Mitigation Agency official IB Gede Widnyana Putra said.

The victim and his brother-in-law, I Made Ada, went fishing aboard a traditional jukung outrigger on Saturday afternoon. They were off the waters by Mertasari, Sanur, when strong wind hit the jukung, broke its outriggers, capsized the boat and sent the two men into a raging sea. Ada was found alive the following day.

The search party tasked with locating Temontiasa had to abruptly halt its operations several times after bad weather hit the waters in south Bali. The powerful gales had also inflicted damage in several areas of mainland Bali.

Source: The Jakarta Post

Karangasem, Badung, Tabanan, Bangli and Gianyar all saw a number of incidents caused by the bad weather, including damage to houses and public facilities following floods and landslides.

Cyclone Rusty. Pic: ABC.net

The road connecting Karangasem and Buleleng was severed after its foundations caved in during a major landslide. The landslide affected part of the road that passed Munti Gunung village in Kubu district. A local resident, Gede Antara reported that the road had collapsed along a 15-meter stretch to a depth of 4 meters. Fortunately, the incident did not claim any casualties.

In Lemukih and Tejakula district in Buleleng, floods damaged a temple, dam and houses.

Meanwhile, the operators of Padangbai and Gilimanuk seaports have halted ferry crossings due to rough seas. Other cross-sea ferry routes to and from Bali were also closed temporarily, including to Nusa Penida and to the Gili islands.

The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) stated that the turbulent weather was due to a nearby tropical cyclone that would recede on Tuesday. However, the agency warned that high waves would still be likely in the seas to the north and south of Bali.

The cyclone triggered strong wind at 25 to 40 km per hour velocity. Pic: pindanpost.com

I Nyoman Wiryajaya, head of BMKG data and information division, said that the wind speeds had reached 43 kilometers per hour (kph) to the north and the waves up to 5 meters high.

“We predict that tropical cyclone Rusty will be heading to the mainland and recede. High waves will continue to occur with a possibility of rain, coupled with strong winds and thunder,” he said.

Two residents had reportedly drowned in the seas off Mertasari Beach, Sanur, on Saturday. One of them, Made Ada, was found alive Sunday in waters off Serangan. He is currently still undergoing medical treatment in Sanglah Hospital.

The other man, Ketut Temontiasa, has not yet been found. Search and rescue efforts were being hampered by rough seas.

Continue reading, here.

Source: The Jakarta Post | Author: Luh De Suriyani

The city’s Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) together with the Search and Rescue Agency, is still searching for Ketut Temon Tiasa, a resident of Sanur Kauh.

The 42-year-old man had gone fishing with his brother-in-law Made Ada off Mertasari Beach on Saturday at around 4:30 p.m.

When the strong winds started, the two men were still fishing out at sea.

“The fishing boat they were using was damaged by the rough sea,” Made Prapta, head of rehabilitation and reconstruction at BPBD, said on Sunday.

He said the two men had become separated and swept away by the waves.

On Sunday morning, Ada was found floating in the waters off Serangan by local fishermen and was rushed to Sanglah Hospital. He is still undergoing medical treatment.

Search efforts are still underway around Sanur, Serangan and Tanjung Benoa to find Temon. The search and rescue team predicted that his body would be stranded not too far from those areas.

“We will keep searching. We have yet to decide when we will stop the search,” Prapta said.

According to the city’s Climatology, Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) the strong winds occurred for nine minutes and were followed by heavy rains.

The wind gauge at Ngurah Rai airport recorded wind speeds of 32 knots, or equivalent to 57.6 kilometers per hour (kph), above normal speeds that range from 10 to 38 kph, said Nyoman Wirya Jaya, BMKG’s head of data and information division.

Read more, here.

Source: The Jakarta Post | Author: KE Frans | Image/Illustration: Nyoman Sumendra/IndoSurfLife.com

Photo/illustration: Susan Caplan

The strong winds and rough seas had earlier damaged several public facilities, as well as houses and trees, in Gianyar, Denpasar, Badung, Tabanan and Bangli.

Some ports in Bali, including Gilimanuk and Padang Bai, remain on high alert due to rough seas.

I Made Kris Adi Astra, satellite reader at Bali Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), said that tropical cyclone Narelle would stay around Bali for the next 72 hours, or until Saturday.

“On Saturday, the cyclone will be heading further out of Indonesian waters, toward Western Australia,” Astra said.

In Indonesia, the cyclone is centered in south of Bali’s closest neighbor, West Nusa Tenggara, with winds of 40 kilometers per hours on Wednesday.

On Thursday, the cyclone was located 830 kilometers south of Denpasar with strong gusts of wind reaching 150 kilometers per hour. The wind is predicted to remain strong until Saturday.

“People must remain on high alert as strong winds and torrential rains may continue to damage buildings and trees are likely to fall down,” he stated.

In Sanur, the traditional fishing port was closed until Thursday afternoon. Numerous jukung, traditional vessels, that usually take passengers to Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Ceningan and Nusa Penida lay idle.

In Denpasar, officials, as well as residents, worked hand-in-hand to clean up the streets and the
neighborhood.

In Kuta, strong winds and sandstorms raged on the beach. Local coastguards worked hard to stop people from swimming, surfing and playing nearby.

Read more, here.

Source: The Jakarta Post | Author: Luh De Suriyani and Alit Kertarahardja

Strong winds have also caused severe damage to public facilities, as well as houses and trees in Gianyar, Denpasar, Badung, Tabanan and Bangli.

Wayan Suardana, head of Bali Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), predicted that the tropical cyclone would now head toward Western Australia.

The Narelle tropical cyclone is the eighth tropical cyclone to form during this cyclone season in the southern Indian Ocean.

Day off: Two Kedonganan fishermen sit on their traditional outrigger enjoying a day off after heavy winds and high waves prevented them from setting sail. BD/Agung Parameswara

In Indonesia, the cyclone is centered south of Bali’s closest neighbor, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), with winds of up to 40 kilometers per hour.

In Selemadeg village in Tabanan regency, a woman identified as Anak Agung Ayu Sri Suarti, reportedly died after a large tree fell on her.

Juvian, a member of staff at the Bali Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Agency, said that a number of officials had tried to evacuate Suarti and provide emergency care but she died on the way to Tabanan regional hospital on Tuesday afternoon.

Trees have also damaged a temple, family homes and other buildings in Denpasar.

“This is a normal situation for the period between January and February when tropical cyclones frequently occur in the Indian Ocean affecting weather conditions all over Indonesia,” Suardana said.

He warned people who live in the coastal areas of the southern part of Bali to remain vigilant.

“The waves may reach up to 5 meters high, endangering fisherman and those who want to take water transportation,” he said.

Tourists who planned to take part in water sports, such as diving, surfing and snorkeling, must be very careful due to the heavy rains, strong winds and high waves, he said.

Due to the rough sea, Gilimanuk ferry port in Jembrana (connecting Java and Bali) and Padang Bai ferry port in Karangasem (connecting Bali and NTB) have had to be closed temporarily. Three traditional fishing and crossing ports in Klungkung regency were also closed, forcing hundreds of residents to wait for transport for hours.

Local fishermen also stayed home over the last few days because of the high waves.

People living on the remote islands of Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan in Klungkung regency have been isolated as there were no vessels heading to the islets to bring basic food and supplies to the local residents.

In downtown Denpasar, police and officials from the Bali Sanitation and Landscape Agency were ready to anticipate any possible damage caused by the strong winds on Wednesday afternoon.

I Nyoman Wiryajaya, head of data and climatology at BMKG, explained that the peak wet season in Bali would arrive in the middle of January and would intensify in February.

“People must be on alert for the possible strong winds, torrential rains and rough seas during this season,” Wiryajaya said.

On Thursday (today), he predicted that most of Bali’s waters would have waves of up to 5 meters high.

Source: The Jakarta Post | Author: Luh De Suriyani

Made Rai Ardhana, head of Gilimanuk ferry port in Jembrana, west Bali, said strong winds and heavy rains had frequently occurred over the Bali Strait disrupting ferry trips between Bali and Java.

“The ferry port management is closely working with Bali Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) to monitor the changing weather around the Bali Strait, Java Sea and Bali waters,” Ardhana said.

The port management has tightened safety measures for both ferry crews and passengers.

During the year-end holidays, hundreds of thousands of domestic tourists from Java visited the island on vacation.

On Jan. 1, 4,416 cars and four-wheeled vehicles, 3,464 motorcycles and around 38,333 passengers used the ferry.

Source: The Jakarta Post

Death Valley at its prime — hot enough to grill a medium steak.

With an average high of 46.7 C in July, summer in Death Valley, California, can be baking.

But it was the summer of 1913 that recently entered the record books, acknowledged officially as the hottest temperature ever recorded, at 56.7 C.

“Everybody is interested in extremes — the hottest, the wettest, the windiest — so creating a database of professionally-verified records is useful in that fact alone,” says Randall Cerveny from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

“But it also serves to demonstrate that we have greatly increased the quality of our records through this verification process. Our findings with regard to topics such as climate change will have more validity,” he adds.

With that in mind, what other extreme weather records are there? Cerveny helped us pick out a few highlights from around the world.

Lowest temperature

According to WMO, the lowest temperature noted was -89.2 C, recorded on July 21, 1983 in Vostok, Antarctica. Yes, Celsius, not Fahrenheit.

An absence of solar radiation, clear skies, little vertical mixing, calm air for a long duration and high elevation (3,420 meters) accounted for the frigid weather.

Greatest rainfall in one minute, Unionville

This record is owned by Unionville, Maryland, United States, when on July 4, 1956, 31.2 millimeters of rain fell in one minute.

To give you an idea — in sub-tropical Hong Kong, the most severe black rainstorm signal will be hoisted if the rainfall exceeds 70 millimeters in an hour.

Greatest rainfall in 24 hours

The biggest rainfall in a day occurred with the passage of Cyclone Denise in Foc-Foc, La Réunion, an island in the southern Indian Ocean. Some 1.825 meters of rain fell over 24 hours, from January 7 to 8, 1966.

Heaviest hailstone, Bangladesh

The heaviest hailstone was discovered during a hailstorm in Gopalganj, Bangladesh on April 14, 1986. The storm killed 92 people and included one hailstone that weighed 1.02 kilos.

Longest recorded dry period, Arica

The longest dry period in history was measured in years. There was not a single raindrop in Arica, Chile for more than 14 years, from October, 1903 to January 1918 — a total of 173 months.

Read the full article, here.

Source: CNNGo | Author: Hiufu Wong

Photo/illustration: Susan Caplan

Nyoman Suarsa from the BMKG said that the strong winds usually occurred during particularly hot weather.

The winds are now easterly in parts of Bali causing hot weather in Denpasar and surrounding areas.

Wind speeds were reaching 20 knots, or 30 kilometers, per hour, he said.

Last weekend, strong winds hit several villages in Buleleng regency in north Bali.

The rainy season is forecast to start soon, probably in the second or third week of October in Denpasar, Tabanan and Gianyar.