Indonesia expects normal wet season in 2026, weather agency says

Indonesia's wet season is expected to return to normal in 2026, and authorities should work to improve efficiency during the harvest of key crops like palm oil, its meteorological agency said on Tuesday.

Agency climate official Ardhasena Sopaheluwakan said a La Nina weather pattern, which typically brings more rainfall, was expected to be weaker in 2026 and should conclude by the end of the first quarter.

"Climate conditions that are not as wet as 2025 can be optimised for the efficiency of harvests and the logistics of palm plantations," he told reporters.

He added that sugarcane and tobacco producers should also prepare for rain during the dry season.

Indonesia is an archipelago of thousands of islands, and weather patterns vary widely.

Indonesia is expected to transition into the dry season in June, Ardhasena said, and authorities should also anticipate a drop in air quality due to industrial emissions and also in areas where forest fires are common.

The 2023 dry season was Indonesia's most severe in four years due to an El Nino weather phenomenon that brought prolonged drought, damaging crops and exacerbating forest fires.

-Stanley Widianto/Reuters