Cold front expected to bring heavy downpours, cooler weather to northern Vietnam

The cold air mass is currently moving southward and may first affect northeastern mountainous areas on Saturday before expanding across the northeast, parts of the northwest, and central Vietnam later that evening.

Winds will possibly shift northeasterly at 6-19 kilometers per hour inland and 12-28kph in coastal areas.

From Saturday night, the northern and north-central regions are expected to see cooler conditions, with some mountainous areas seeing low temperatures.

Temperatures in affected areas are expected to drop to 20-23 degrees Celsius, with high mountain regions possibly falling below 18 degrees Celsius.

In Hanoi, the weather could turn cooler from Saturday night, with lows between 21 and 23 degrees Celsius.

Due to the cold front compressing a low-pressure trough, heavy rainfall is expected from Friday night to Sunday in northern and north-central provinces.

Midland and lowland areas of the north may see widespread rainfall ranging from 30 to 70mm, with some places exceeding 150mm.

In the northern mountains, rain will range from 20 to 40mm, with localized totals above 80mm.

In north-central provinces, expected rainfall between Friday and Sunday will range from 40 to 90mm, possibly over 150mm in some areas.

The central coastal region may begin to see rain and thunderstorms from Saturday afternoon.

The national weather agency has warned of severe weather hazards such as whirlwinds, lightning, hail, and strong gusts, which may damage crops, topple trees, and impact infrastructure.

Urban areas and low-lying regions could face flash floods, landslides, and localized flooding due to high-intensity rainfall in short periods.