Northern Vietnam braces for early winter cold snap and thunderstorms

Northern Vietnam is expected to experience an early winter cold snap with rain and thunderstorms starting around September 9th. The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting predicts that from the night of September 9th to the 10th, the North may be affected by a weak early winter cold air mass, causing scattered showers and thunderstorms. From September 10th to 11th, temperatures in the Northern region will noticeably decrease, with daytime high temperatures generally ranging from 28-31 degrees Celsius. Nights and mornings will be cool, with minimum temperatures in the plains between 23-26 degrees Celsius, and a chilly feel in the mountainous areas from 21-23 degrees Celsius. In Hanoi, showers and thunderstorms are likely, with the highest daytime temperature not exceeding 31 degrees Celsius. At night, temperatures will drop to 24-25 degrees Celsius. In high mountainous areas like Sa Pa (Lao Cai), rain is expected, with daytime highs fluctuating between 21-22 degrees Celsius. Nights could be cold, with temperatures falling to 17-18 degrees Celsius. In the immediate forecast, for the next three days (September 7th to 9th), the Northern region will experience sunny days with maximum temperatures not exceeding 35 degrees Celsius. However, scattered showers and thunderstorms may occur in the late afternoon and evening. For the Central region, from now until September 9th, there will be occasional showers and thunderstorms. Specifically, in the afternoon and evening, scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected, with localized heavy rain, primarily in the late afternoon and evening. From around September 10th to 15th, rainfall is likely to increase due to the formation of a tropical convergence zone, combined with the influence of the early winter cold air. The area from Thanh Hoa to Da Nang and the eastern parts of provinces from Quang Ngai to Gia Lai may experience moderate to heavy rain and scattered thunderstorms, with some areas receiving very heavy rainfall. For the Central Highlands (Tay Nguyen) and Southern regions, from now until September 9th, there will be occasional showers and thunderstorms during the day. In the afternoon and evening, scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected, with localized heavy rain. From approximately September 10th to 12th, the southwest monsoon is expected to strengthen, bringing rain and scattered thunderstorms, with some areas experiencing heavy to very heavy rain. The meteorological agency noted the presence of low-pressure systems on the tropical convergence zone, with its axis passing through the central South China Sea. These low-pressure systems have the potential to develop into tropical depressions, causing strong winds, high waves, and severe thunderstorms at sea in the coming week. The meteorological agency forecasts that in September 2026, heatwaves in the Central region will tend to decrease. Furthermore, the activity of cold air from September to November 2026 is expected to be weaker than the multi-year average. From December 2026 to January 2027, cold air is also predicted to be weaker than the multi-year average. Severe cold spells and frost are likely to arrive later than usual, and the number of days with severe cold will be lower than the multi-year average for the same period. This week, rain is expected to dominate, with heavy rainfall concentrated mainly in the Central region. Source: The Saigon Times