Bogor Regularly Rains, IPB University Meteorologist Reveals This Fact
The rain that has been falling on the city of Bogor in recent days has emphasized its title as the “City of Rain”. This nickname is not without reason, Bogor is indeed famous for its high rainfall, even exceeding the average of other cities in Indonesia. No wonder, for Bogor residents, rain is no longer a foreign thing, but a friend who accompanies their daily lives.
IPB University Meteorologist, Sonni Setiawan, SSi, MSi gave his opinion regarding the phenomenon of high rainfall in Bogor City. He explained that the high rainfall in Bogor City is influenced by three main factors, namely monsoon winds, sun position, and local factors, namely topography.
“The first factor of high rainfall in Bogor is due to the west monsoon winds from Asia in December-January-February and the east monsoon from Australia in June-July-August. This factor gives a significant influence on the evaporation of water vapor and produces rain,” he said.
IPB University lecturer from the Department of Geophysics and Meteorology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA) explained, the high rainfall in Bogor is also supported by the position of the sun called the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) which usually occurs in March and September.
“In addition, there are also local factors, namely topographic factors. The mountains around Bogor, such as Mount Salak and Pangrango, also influence the movement of clouds and rainfall,” Sonni explained.
According to him, Bogor’s condition that often occurs with high frequency of rain actually provides many positive impacts. In fact, he said that there is no negative impact caused by this natural phenomenon.
“The positive side of high rainfall is definitely more. People are more educated about the character of rainfall in the Bogor region compared to other regions and how to respond to existing conditions,” he explained.
Regarding landslides and floods that often occur in several areas in Bogor, he emphasized that it was not because of the negative impact of rain, but because of land conversion.
“Development in infiltration areas and building without considering the characteristics and conditions of the region are the causes of landslides and floods. Bogor is known as the City of Rain not only now, but since the VOC era and even since the Pajajaran Kingdom, but in the past there were no landslides and floods, so there is something wrong,” he explained.
However, Sonni said that the frequency of rain in Bogor City in recent decades has actually decreased.
“The data shows that the frequency of rain in Bogor has decreased in recent decades. But the intensity of heavy rain has increased. This is associated with global climate change and land use change in Bogor,” he said. (Arya/Rz) (IAAS/HLF)
