Many parts of Northern and Central Viet Nam have started this week with a cold, windy and wet weather as the mercury is constantly on a significant downward trend under the adverse impact of a newly-formed fast-moving intense cold front, Viet Nam's National Center for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting said.

Da Nang is expected to see rainless, warmer weather in the coming days

This is a new spell of cold weather to hit Viet Nam during the ongoing 2020 - 2021 winter season, forcing the general public to wrap up in an extra layer of clothing in an effort to stay warm amid the arrival of chilly weather conditions. People are being urged to prepare for cold weather conditions and look out for those most at risk.

Still encouragingly, this cold snap’s intensity is a bit weaker than the previous ones, and it is also likely to last fewer days.

From today, 18 January, Northern Viet Nam, especially the provinces of Son La, Lao Cai, Ha Giang, Vinh Phuc and Lang Son, are the hardest hit by the ‘severe cold weather’ with the temperatures falling to only 8 – 11 degrees Celsius in many parts of these northern localities, even below zero degrees Celsius in some very remote high mountain areas, leading to a high possibility of frost.

Likewise, a vast stretch from provinces and cities from Quang Binh to Quang Ngai is suffering a slight plunge in the mercury and scattered, moderate rains, plus strong wind level 3 in the mainland.

In detail, average lows are projected to fall further to 11 - 14 degrees Celsius in many parts of the provinces from Quang Binh to Thua Thien- Hue, a bit warmer than those recorded in the previous cold spells.

In addition, localities from Da Nang to Quang Ngai are bracing for a bit higher mercury which is hovering at the lowest as 14 -16 degrees Celsius.

In Da Nang alone, from tomorrow till Friday, 22 February, it will see cloudy, rainless days, and interestingly, some much-hailed sunlight in the daytime, NCHMF said.

According to the latest NCHMF bulletin, waters off central regional areas from Quang Binh to Quang Ngai are now bracing for scattered rains, strong winds at levels 6 - 7, with a gust of levels 8 - 9, sea waves from 3 - 5m high, a strong rough sea.

Waters off Hoang Sa Archipelago are experiencing strong winds at levels 7 - 8, with a gusts of level 10, sea waves from 4 to 6 m high, and very rough sea.

According to national meteorologists’ projections, by late February, several spells of cold weather are forecast to hit many parts of Viet Nam, with each staying in place for 7 – 10 days. Up and down the country, both humans and animals are huddling up to keep the winter chill out.

The cold weather-hit localities have been required to build up a framework for implementing and coordinating cold weather preparedness and response activities which focus on reducing the negative health impacts of cold weather conditions.

Of special note, to stay ‘safe and sound’ during inevitable severe cold spells bringing very high humidity, drizzle and blustery winds without sunshine, it is a need for the general public to wrap up in an extra layer of clothing in an effort to stay warm.

The La Nina phenomenon, that describes cooler than normal ocean surface temperatures in the Eastern and Central Pacific Ocean, regions close to the equator off the west coast of South America, will continue through the first half of 2021, and then the climate will shift to the neutral conditions in summer 2021, the national forcasters said.

As a result, heat waves in summer months of 2021 will occur in the northern and central regions later than and be less severe than in 2020.

By HOANG HIEP/ TTXVN - Translated by A.T