Are you aware of the recent increase in temperature in Jakarta? You might feel extreme sunburn while walking or waiting for public transportation. As it turns out, this extreme weather doesn't only happen in Jakarta, but also in several areas in Indonesia. According to the Meteorology and Geophysics Agency, the current hot weather occurring in Indonesia is due to the apparent motion of the sun which usually occurs every year. Last year, we experienced a similar situation.

Also read: Overcoming Jakarta’s Recent Hot Weather 

So, what can we do to face the hot weather in Jakarta? What are the efforts done by the Provincial Government of Jakarta in mitigating the recent hot weather? Read to find out more.

Current Conditions of Hot Weather in Jakarta

Before finding out some steps you can take to deal with hot weather, let’s take a look at Jakarta's recent hot weather conditions first. The sun's apparent motion cycle triggers a temperature rise in April 2023.

On May 5, 2023, the BMKG weather forecast stated that Central Jakarta, South Jakarta, West Jakarta, East Jakarta, and the Seribu Islands would be sunny and cloudy this morning. Central Jakarta, North Jakarta, and the Seribu Islands will remain cloudy during the day with moderate rains in West Jakarta and East Jakarta, and thunderstorms in South Jakarta. Meanwhile tonight, West Jakarta, Central Jakarta, and North Jakarta are forecasted for light rain while South Jakarta, East Jakarta, and the Seribu Islands will be partly cloudy. Meanwhile, in the early hours of the morning, all of the administrative cities is predicted to be cloudy. From this weather forecast, it can be concluded that Jakarta's weather is easily changeable along with the transition from the rainy season to the dry season. The dry season itself is expected to start from the end of May to the end of September.

Then, given that Jakarta's current hot weather is caused by the apparent motion of the sun, is there anything to do with heat waves? As is known, the 2023 Asian Heatwave phenomenon has hit and affected many Asian countries since April. Some of these countries are India, Bangladesh, China, Thailand, and Vietnam. Good news, BMKG has confirmedthat the hot weather in Indonesia, including Jakarta, is not classified as a heat wave, both from the phenomenal characteristics and statistical indicators, and the maximum daily temperature in Jakarta has started to decrease.

Tips for Facing Hot Weather

Extreme hot weather has the potential to interfere with health and comfort during your activities. To minimize this, you can do the following things.

1. Drink enough mineral water

In order not to be dehydrated, you need to pay attention to your water intake, especially during hot weather. It is recommended to consume 2 liters of water per day and reduce consumption of caffeine, alcohol, and sugary drinks. Here are a few tips for maximum water absorption into the body, you can drink water in small quantities, but increase the frequency.
 

 

2. Wear clothes that absorb sweat

If you do a lot of activities outdoors or in rooms without air conditioning, make sure to wear clothes with cool materials that can absorb sweat, such as cotton. Also, avoid dark clothing colors because they are more likely to absorb heat.
 

3. Avoid direct contact with sunlight

If possible, you can avoid excessive sun exposure by doing activities indoors or limiting the time for outdoor activities. If it is not possible, you can still do your activities by wearing a hat or umbrella.

4. Arrange the house 

For those of you who do a lot of activities at home, it's important to arrange the house for you not to feel hot. Apart from using an air conditioner (AC) or a fan, you can also close the doors or windows during the day so that the sun's heat doesn't get in.
 

5. Use sunscreen with UV protection

Hot weather not only makes it less comfortable for you to do your activities, but it can also threaten your health, including your skin. Excessive sun exposure has the potential to dull the skin and irritate it. High sensitivity of exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun can cause skin cancer. To avoid this, use sunscreen or sunblock on your face and body when you are outside or indoors. For the use of sunscreen on the face, it is recommended to use an SPF of at least 30 and a maximum of 50.
 

Government’s Various Efforts to Overcome Hot Weather

When viewed from a wider perspective, hot weather can be caused by climate change. This bigger issue requires not only the participation of Smartcitizens in dealing with the effects of hot weather but also the government’s to take mitigation steps. Following are the various effortsof DKI Jakarta Provincial Government in mitigating climate change.

1. Building Green Open Spaces

In recent years, DKI Jakarta Provincial Government has been intensely building green open spaces, such as parks and urban forests. As of October 2022, the Jakarta Parks and City Forest Service (Distamhut) recorded more than 420 parks were built and revitalized, and more than 200,000 trees were planted. Apart from that, the Jakarta Provincial Government gives walkable parks and urban forests within a radius of 800 meters for citizens. With a more inclusive and evenly distributed Green Open Space, it is hoped that the green open spaces can absorb carbon dioxide, produce more oxygen, reduce heat, and provide cool air for Jakarta.
 

2. Empowering Pedestrians and Cyclists

In an effort to mitigate climate change, the Jakarta Provincial Government is also developing Jakarta as a transit city that prioritizes pedestrians and cyclists. As of October 2022, there are 265 km of sidewalks, 103 km of bike paths, and 67 spots for bike sharing. In addition, several public spaces in Jakarta, such as Kota Tua and Tebet Eco Park were built by applying the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) concept. The LEZ concept limits access to several types of polluting vehicles to make them more environmentally friendly. As an alternative, the LEZ area is integrated with various modes of public transportation so that it remains easily accessible to the public.

3. Integrating Modes of Transportation

Supporting the shift to public transportation, the Jakarta Provincial Government integrates various modes of transportation under the auspices of JakLingko. System integration carried out includes the integration of stations to tariffs. For example, the Jakarta MRT station which is connected to the Transjakarta bus stop and KRL station, then space integration consisting of 9 intermodal integration nodes, 14 new pedestrian bridges (JPO), and the revitalization and first underground interconnection of the MRT.

Those are some ways you can do to deal with Jakarta's hot weather along with the government’s mitigation steps. For those of you who want to contribute further in preventing climate change, JAKI has the Register and get emission test results feature to order vehicle emission tests, as well as check the results and location of emission tests. Don't have JAKI yet? Download via Google Play Storeor Apple App Store. Let’s help to deal with and minimize Jakarta's hot weather!