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Brilio.net - Indonesia, the largest archipelago in the world, has unique climate characteristics. Located on the equator, Indonesia only knows two seasons: the dry season and the rainy season. However, did you know that the change of seasons is greatly influenced by wind movements? Yes, wind plays a crucial role in shaping weather and climate patterns in our beloved country.
Wind, which is air moving from high pressure areas to low pressure areas, has the ability to carry the characteristics of the areas it passes through. For example, wind moving from the ocean will carry water vapor, while wind moving from a large, dry land will carry hot, dry air. This phenomenon then affects the weather and seasons in Indonesia.
In Indonesia, there are several main types of winds that play a role in the changing seasons. These winds have different characteristics, depending on their origin and direction of movement. Understanding these types of winds is not only important for meteorologists or weather experts, but also for the general public. By knowing the patterns of wind movement, we can better understand and anticipate the weather changes that occur around us.
Understanding the various winds that affect the seasons in Indonesia is very important in various aspects of life. For farmers, this knowledge can help in determining the right time to plant and harvest. For fishermen, understanding wind patterns can improve safety in sailing. Even for the general public, this knowledge is useful in planning various outdoor activities or trips.
In addition, in the context of global climate change, understanding these wind patterns becomes increasingly important. Climate change can affect existing wind patterns, which in turn can impact the weather and seasons in Indonesia.
Brilio.net reports from various sources, the following are the types of wind that affect the seasons in Indonesia, on Thursday (5/9).
Types of wind that affect the seasons in Indonesia
2024 Pexels.com/Various Sources
The West Monsoon is a wind that blows from Asia to Australia, passing through Indonesia. This wind brings a lot of water vapor and causes the rainy season in most parts of Indonesia.
The process of occurrence:
1. In October-April, the northern hemisphere (Asia) experiences winter, causing high air pressure.
2. Meanwhile, the southern hemisphere (Australia) experiences summer, causing low air pressure.
3. The wind moves from high pressure in Asia to low pressure in Australia, passing through Indonesia.
4. On its journey, this wind passes over vast oceans, bringing with it a lot of water vapor.
5. When it reaches the Indonesian mainland, this water vapor undergoes condensation and falls as rain.
The East Monsoon is a wind that blows from Australia to Asia, passing through Indonesia. This wind brings dry air and causes the dry season in most parts of Indonesia.
The process of occurrence:
1. In April-October, the southern hemisphere (Australia) experiences winter, causing high air pressure.
2. Meanwhile, the northern hemisphere (Asia) experiences summer, causing low air pressure.
3. The wind moves from high pressure in Australia to low pressure in Asia, passing through Indonesia.
4. This wind passes through the dry Australian desert, so it carries little water vapor.
5. As a result, when it reaches Indonesia, this wind causes a dry season in most areas.
Local winds are winds that occur due to differences in temperature and air pressure in a relatively narrow area. In Indonesia, there are several types of local winds that affect local weather.
The process of occurrence:
The process of local winds varies depending on the type. Some examples of local winds in Indonesia:
a. Sea Breeze and Land Breeze
- Sea breezes occur during the day when the land is hotter than the sea, causing the wind to blow from the sea to the land.
- Land breezes occur at night when the land is colder than the sea, causing the wind to blow from land to sea.
b. Mountain Wind and Valley Wind
- Mountain breezes occur at night when the air at the top of the mountain is cooler and descends into the valley.
- Valley breezes occur during the day when the air in the valley is hotter and rises to the mountain tops.
c. Fohn wind
- Occurs when the wind passes over high mountains and descends on the other side of the mountains.
- Examples are the Bohorok Wind in North Sumatra and the Kumbang Wind in Cirebon, West Java.
Trade Winds are winds that blow steadily from the subtropical regions towards the equator. In Indonesia, the influence of the Trade Winds is not as strong as the Monsoon Winds, but still affects the weather in some areas.
The process of occurrence:
1. Trade winds are formed due to differences in air pressure between the subtropical and equatorial regions.
2. In the northern hemisphere, the trade winds blow from northeast to southwest.
3. In the southern hemisphere, the trade winds blow from southeast to northwest.
4. Trade winds influence rainfall in several regions of Indonesia, especially in the eastern part.
Tropical cyclones are low-pressure systems that form over warm tropical oceans. Although they rarely form in Indonesia, tropical cyclones that form around Indonesia can affect the weather in several regions.
The process of occurrence:
1. Tropical cyclones form over warm oceans with a minimum surface temperature of 26.5C.
2. Water vapor from the warm ocean rises and condenses, forming tall cumulus clouds.
3. The Earth's rotation causes this cloud system to spin, forming a cyclone eye in the center.
4. Tropical cyclones can cause heavy rain, strong winds, and high waves in the areas they pass through.
(brl/psa)
