Rain in Indonesia expected to ease smog in neighboring countries — The Japan Times
Indonesia is expected to see more consistent rainfall in November, which could help combat forest and land fires and reduce the toxic smog that has been spreading to Singapore and Malaysia for several weeks. At the same time, heavier precipitation in the Kalimantan regions, where most fire hotspots are concentrated, is not forecast until early December.
According to The Japan Times, rainfall in Indonesia has increased in recent days, helping restore soil moisture after several months of severe drought linked to El Niño. Since June, the country has received less than a quarter of its usual rainfall, Atmospheric G2 reports.
Thousands of fire hotspots
The SiPongi platform at Indonesia's forestry ministry recorded nearly 13,500 hotspots across the country this month. This is the highest October figure since 2015. Dry weather has complicated efforts to fight the fires, which are often linked to the practice of burning land for agriculture.
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Smoke from the fires has blanketed local cities and spread to neighboring countries. Schools were closed because of air pollution, while demand for air purifiers increased. Singapore's foreign minister visited Jakarta this week, and the two countries agreed to establish a joint working group on forest fires. Singapore also said it was considering possible legal action against companies suspected of illegal burning.
December forecast
Indonesia's BMKG meteorological service said there is a higher probability that monthly rainfall in parts of South Sumatra, Central Kalimantan and South Kalimantan will exceed 300 millimeters in December. According to the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, rainfall is expected to intensify in the first week of December.
At the same time, specialists at Ignitia warn that smoke from prolonged fires can itself reduce rainfall: smog blocks solar radiation and interferes with the convective processes that produce downpours and thunderstorms. How much the rain will be able to extinguish the ongoing fires, especially in peatlands, will depend on whether it falls regularly in the affected areas.
