Northern Vietnam heats up again, while strong winds expected to lash East Vietnam Sea

As of 1:00 pm on Tuesday, temperatures across northern Vietnam ranged from 35 to 36 degrees Celsius, with some weather stations recording higher levels such as Bac Me in Tuyen Quang Province, Bao Lac in Cao Bang Province, and Lang in Hanoi.

Forecaster Nghiem Thi Ngoc Linh from the national weather agency said the region will see similar conditions on Wednesday, with the mercury in urban areas like Hanoi expected to reach between 36 and 37 degrees Celsius.

She said that these figures are measured at weather stations, while actual outdoor temperatures may be 2-4 degrees Celsius higher, or even more because of the urban heat island effect.

An urban heat island occurs when a city experiences much warmer temperatures than nearby rural areas.

The hottest hours will be between 11:00 am and 5:00 pm, prompting warnings for residents to avoid prolonged outdoor activities and stay hydrated.

Linh added that the heatwave is forecast to ease after Thursday, though hot days may continue in both northern and central regions through early August.

Central Vietnam is expected to experience more frequent and intense heat compared to northern provinces.

Forecaster Nguyen Thi Hue reported that scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected on Wednesday over the waters stretching from Lam Dong Province to Ca Mau Province, from Ca Mau to An Giang Province, and in the Gulf of Thailand, as well as the southern East Vietnam Sea, including the western part of Vietnam’s Truong Sa Special Zone.

Thunderstorms may bring hazardous weather, including whirlwinds and wind gusts of 50-75 kph.

On the same day, the waters from Dak Lak Province to Ho Chi Minh City and the southern East Vietnam Sea, including the waters west of the Truong Sa Special Zone, will possibly experience 30-50kph winds, with gusts up to 75 kph and waves reaching 1.5-3 meters.