Environment
Vietnam set for colder winter
  • | dtinews.vn | December 08, 2017 08:20 AM
Winter this year is forecasted to come late but is likely to be much colder than previous years.


People drive on a winter day in Hanoi in November 2017. Photo by Vietnamnet



Hoang Phuc Lam from the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting said that the sea surface temperature in the east of the Pacific Ocean is 0.8 degrees lower than previous years. It shows the La Nina phenomenon is returning and will cause a colder winter in January and February.

It will take some time for the atmospheric circulation to be affected and the La Nina phenomenon will be weaker. Its effects will not last long but will still have an effect, Lam said.

According to Lam, the La Nina phenomenon will cause more rain in South East Asia. The winter in Vietnam during the past three years has been warmer because of El Nino phenomenon. The winter will definitely be colder as the temperature in Sapa Town in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai may drop to minus 2 degrees.

"Cold spells will arrive in the northern region and north central coast from late December. The temperatures will drop to the lowest in January and February, especially when the cold air accompanies rains," Lam said.

Luu Minh Hai, head of Lao Cai Province Centre for Hydro-meteorology Forecast, said the weather pattern this year was similar to 1994-1995 period. In October 1994, Vietnam also experienced rains and a huge flood. Strong cold spells may still occur in April this year.

Rains will continue falling in the central region from now until the Lunar New Year. Each period of rains will last from five to seven days. The weather in the southern region will be fairer with less rain.

Leave your comment on this story