Why does it always rain during Chinese New Year? This eight-page scientific explanation

KOMPAS.com – This year, the Chinese New Year celebration falls on Friday (12/2/2021). In society, there is a belief that when the Chinese New Year celebration day comes, it will rain on that day as well.

As for the rain that falls during the Chinese New Year celebration, it is believed to be something to be thankful for, because it means good luck to come.

Apparently, there is a scientific reason behind the rain that falls during the Chinese New Year.

This was revealed by the Climate Variability and Early Season (TIVIAM) team from the National Aeronautics and Space Agency (Lapan).

“The Chinese New Year, as it is known, always falls in January-February,” Lapan’s statement said, cited in an Instagram upload. @lapan_ri, Saturday (2/13/2021).

According to Lapan’s observations, in January 2021 there was a uniform increase in rainfall over most of southern Indonesia, namely:

• South Sumatra
• Java
• South Kalimantan
• South Sulawesi
• Bali
• Lombok
• Nusa Tenggara and its surroundings.

Also read: Chinese New Year 2021: Sayings, Basket Cake, Angpao and the Meaning of Red

Rain intensity

Lapan said that the increase in rainfall, which peaked in the third decade of January, was influenced by the strengthening of the Asian monsoon wind due to several factors, namely:

• Cooling of sea surface temperatures in the South China Sea (LTS)
• The cold that triggered the formation of strong north winds around the Karimata Strait (CENS)
• Formation of Borneo and other vortices in the southern hemisphere (BBS) in the Indian Ocean and near Australia

According to Lapan, according to the rain and wind forecasts in February 2021, the rain will continue to occur in most of Indonesia with a moderate to high intensity.

However, there is a trend for less rain to occur from February 10 to 28, 2021. In the meantime, the rainy season is expected to last until April 2021.

“The potential for extreme events in the form of heavy rains is anticipated to occur in most of Java until March 2021, while Papua and Sulawesi may occur until May 2021,” Lapan said.

Extreme weather potential

Lapan said extreme events triggered by high winds are expected to last until March 2021.

The extreme event is expected to hit the South China Sea as well as the Java Sea.

“This condition deserves to be watched, because until May 2021, the potential for extreme weather events remains high in Indonesian territory,” Lapan said.

Also read: Why is the Chinese New Year identical to red?

Lunar denomination

Lapan said that the Chinese calendar is called Imlek because it comes from the phrase “Yin-li” in Mandarin, which literally means lunar / candratic / lunar / lunar calendar.

However, in reality, the lunar calendar is the Lunisolar calendar (Surya-Candrakala, Syamsi-Kamariah) because it has to adjust to the seasons of fall.

Initially, the lunar calendar was based on the annual pseudocirculation of the Sun or Suryakala / Solar / Syamsiah.

In a year, it is divided into five phases according to the number of elements in Wuxing (which literally means five elements), namely wood, fire, soil, metal and water.

Each phase is 72 days long and is divided into two 36-day months, so there are 10 months and 360 days in a year.

Also, the calendar has changed from time to time, so in the end the change in the time zone from the Shanghai reference time (UT + 8.05.43) to the Chinese time reference (UT + 8) since 1901 affected the calculation of 24 chi. and the phase of the new moon.

Until 1949, China adopted summer time (summer schedule) adding 1 hour when it is spring and summer (it becomes UT + 9) and returns the time to its original fall and winter (it becomes UT + 8).

From 1949 to 1985, China did not specify a daylight saving time. Meanwhile, from 1985 to 1991, China reintroduced daylight saving time.

China abolished daylight saving time in 1992 and it is in effect today.