Northern and Central Vietnam Brace for Prolonged Heatwave

A severe heatwave, which began early this week, is expected to persist across northern and central Vietnam throughout the week. Meanwhile, thunderstorms in the Central Highlands and southern regions are gradually decreasing from August 12. From August 4 to 8, the intertropical convergence zone passed through the northern regions, bringing showers and thunderstorms to the North and North Central Coast. By August 9, the convergence zone weakened, and northern Vietnam came under the influence of a continental high-pressure system, leading to sunny skies and soaring temperatures. Currently, most of the northern region, excluding Lai Chau, Dien Bien, and western Son La, is recording maximum temperatures between 35-37 degrees Celsius, with some areas exceeding 37 degrees. The peak temperature hours are typically from 11 AM to 5 PM. The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting predicts that the widespread heatwave in the North will continue until the end of next week. According to US-based weather forecaster Accuweather, Hanoi can expect temperatures to range from 28-38 degrees Celsius at the beginning of next week, dropping to 28-36 degrees by the weekend. In higher altitude areas like Sapa (Lao Cai Province), temperatures are forecast to be between 18-27 degrees Celsius. In the central region, heat began to appear in Thanh Hoa and Nghe An provinces from August 9. From August 10, the hot zone expanded southward, covering the area from Thanh Hoa to Da Nang and eastern Quang Ngai, with maximum temperatures reaching 35-37 degrees Celsius. In the coming days, the heatwave is likely to extend to eastern Gia Lai and Dak Lak provinces. The heatwave in the central region is predicted to last for many days, potentially continuing throughout next week. In the Central Highlands and southern regions, the southwest monsoon will be moderately to strongly active until August 11, causing scattered showers and thunderstorms, with localized heavy rain. From August 12, the southwest monsoon will weaken, and thunderstorms in these areas will gradually decrease. Maximum temperatures in the Central Highlands will generally be between 29-32 degrees Celsius, and in the South, between 33-35 degrees Celsius, with no signs of a heatwave appearing. Meteorological agencies advise residents in the North and Central regions to be vigilant about the risk of fires and explosions due to the use of electrical equipment during the hot weather, and to limit outdoor activities during peak temperature hours. Source: VnExpress