Northern Vietnam Braces for First Cold Spell, Heavy Rains Warned

Northern Vietnam is set to experience its first cold spell of the season starting the night of September 9th, bringing a drop in temperatures. Mountainous areas are forecast to see minimum temperatures below 19 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, heavy rainfall is expected in the central, highland, and southern regions, prompting authorities to issue warnings. The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting reported that a cold air mass is moving south. By the night of September 9th, it will begin affecting the northern mountainous regions, subsequently spreading to the northeastern areas, parts of the northwestern region, and the North Central Coast. This cold spell is predicted to bring minimum temperatures between 21-24 degrees Celsius to the northern and North Central regions, with some mountainous areas in the north dropping below 19 degrees Celsius. Specifically, on the night of September 9th and during September 10th, the Northeast and North Central regions will record minimum temperatures of 22-25 degrees Celsius, while some mountainous areas in the north may fall below 20 degrees Celsius. This early arrival of cold air is notable, with the earliest recorded instance of a cold spell occurring on August 16, 2003. In the central region, the combination of the cold air mass and the intertropical convergence zone is expected to cause heavy rainfall from September 10th through the end of September 11th. Areas from Thanh Hoa to Hue, the Central Highlands, and the southern region could receive 70-150 mm of rain per event, with localized amounts exceeding 250 mm. Intense rainfall exceeding 100 mm within a 3-hour period poses a risk of flash floods, landslides, and localized inundation. From the night of September 9th, winds in the northern Tonkin Gulf will shift to a northeasterly direction, blowing at force 4-5. By the afternoon of September 10th, the Tonkin Gulf and northern parts of the East Sea will experience strong northeasterly winds of force 6, with gusts up to force 7-8. Wave heights are expected to range from 1.5-2.5 meters, reaching 2-3 meters in the northern East Sea. In response to the risks of heavy rain, lightning, flash floods, landslides, and localized flooding in the central region, the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control has instructed local authorities to closely monitor weather forecasts and warnings and to proactively develop response plans. Local governments are urged to promptly inform residents about disaster developments and to ensure the evacuation of people from areas at risk of deep flooding, flash floods, and landslides to safe locations. Simultaneously, localities are required to prepare local personnel and equipment to support residents and mitigate consequences when incidents occur.