0 The heat is on in Denpasar until January

Although the rainy season is expected to begin in Bali’s capital city of Denpasar early next month, hot temperatures are predicted to continue until the beginning of next year. So, for those who cannot stand the heat, be sure to carry an umbrella on both sunny and rainy days in the months to come. “The sun is currently shining on the southern side of the equator, where the southern region of Sumatra, Bali, Java and Nusa Tenggara are all located. The sun will stay there until January next year. Thus, these hot temperatures will possibly be with us until January,” head of Denpasar’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), I Wayan Suardana, told Bali Daily on Friday.

Suardana said the average maximum temperature in Denpasar during October was 33 degrees Celsius. “On Oct. 13, we recorded temperatures as high as 34.2 degrees Celsius in Denpasar. There may be more to come,” he said. It was the second-highest temperature recorded this year in the city, following highs of 35 degrees Celsius in January. While some parts of the island, especially the highlands like Bedugul, have started to welcome the rainy season, Denpasar is still waiting for rain to fall at the end of this month or in early November. “On the days when the rain comes, you may expect some cooler weather, but on other days without rain, the heat will remain.”

His office’s climatic monitoring coverage includes East Java, Bali, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), East Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan and South Kalimantan. “Denpasar is hotter compared to other regencies in Bali, not only because of its geographical location but also because it has the island’s highest emissions of carbon monoxide (CO), which is the main contributor to greenhouse gases,” Suardana explained. Suardana said the peak October temperature of 34.2 degrees Celsius was higher by 0.2 degrees Celsius than the highest temperature of 34 degrees Celsius recorded in the same month last year.

Denpasar resident Slamet Sunarno, who has lived in Bali since 2008, acknowledged that every year, temperatures seemed to rise. “In 2008, when I first lived in Denpasar, it was not as hot as it is now,” said Slamet. Having lived in Tabanan regency during the previous two years, he said it was much cooler there. “But, my friends say that these days, it’s also stiflingly hot in Tabanan. I guess it’s because there are fewer green spaces now; many of them have been replaced with properties.” While highlighting the need to plant more trees to become the city’s lungs, Suardana also urged vehicle owners to carry out periodic emission tests on their cars.

“Vehicle exhaust fumes are pollutants. So, at least, car owners must take responsibility to ensure their vehicles are giving off lower emissions,” said Suardana. In 2009, the Denpasar Transportation Agency recorded a total of 457,772 motorcycles and 22,115 cars traveling around the island’s capital.

source : bali daily