The Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (BMG) said the dry season would reach its peak within the next two months, warning it could spark crop failures and forest fires.
M. Ali Mas'at, a climatologist at the BMG, said several parts of the country were already experiencing drought, with the dry season set to peak in July and August.
"The dry season will last until September and most parts of the country will start to see rainfall again around that time," he told The Jakarta Post over the weekend.
Ali said this year's dry season would be normal and similar to last year's, with normal levels of rainfall in most parts of the country ruling out any chance of severe droughts.
Several parts of Java, Bali and Nusa Tenggara entered the dry season in April, the BMG said in a statement.
As of July, droughts have struck in southern Jambi, South Sumatra, Bangka and Belitung, southern Bengkulu, Lampung, southern West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, southern East Kalimantan, South Sulawesi, West Sulawesi and Merauke.
The BMG said the dry season was caused by weak winds across the archipelago and decreasing sea surface temperatures in the Indian Ocean.
The agency said sea surface temperatures off the coast of Java, Bali, southern Lampung, West Nusa Tenggara, East Nusa Tenggara, South Maluku and southern Papua, had been low since June, resulting in less air evaporation and less rainfall.
Northern and central parts of West Java, northern parts of Central Java and most parts of East Java and Madura are expected to experience drought, the BMG said.
These regions include Sumedang, Karawang and Indramayu in West Java, and Magetan, Pacitan, Ponorogo, Trenggalek, Tulungagung, Jombang, Malang, Mojokerto, Blitar, Pasuruan and Probolinggo in East Java.
Indramayu is West Java's largest producer of rice. The agency said drought had affected some 23,000 hectares of farmland, with harvest failures almost certain in another 400 hectares.
Despite the advent of the dry season, the BMG said rains would continue in North Sumatra, West Sumatra, northern East Kalimantan, North Maluku, Seram Island and northern and central parts of Papua.
"Floods may also hit, but they will be localized and short-lived," Ali said.
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