Northern Vietnam to blow hot and then cold

The north has just shivered through nine days of chill weather starting Feb. 24, the longest cold snap in the last 20 years.

But since Sunday it has been becoming warm gradually, and a low-pressure area in the west will send temperatures rising on Monday and Tuesday, including to as high as 35 degrees in Lai Chau, Hoa Binh and Son La Provinces, according to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

U.S. weather forecast service AccuWeather expects temperatures of 20-28 degrees in Hanoi on Monday before rising up to 33 degrees on Tuesday.

High-altitude locations like Lao Cai's Sa Pa town will see temperatures gradually rise until the middle of this week to a maximum of 26 degrees and a low of 12 degrees.

The central region will remain sunny on Monday and Tuesday.

On Tuesday temperatures will rise to 35-37 degrees in the mountainous regions to the west of provinces from Thanh Hoa to Thua Thien-Hue.

Other areas will record temperatures of 31-33 degrees.

The south and the Central Highlands will not see rains at night this week. The latter might get fog in the early mornings, and temperatures will rise to 34 degrees.

In the south temperatures will rise to 33-37 degrees.

Nguyen Ngoc Huy, a meteorologist, said temperatures would fluctuate in the north in the next few days.

"Due to the heat and the cold alternating, people should take better care of their health, especially the elderly, children and those with respiratory diseases," he said.