Cold front to hit northern Vietnam, bringing heavy rain

According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, a cold air mass is moving southward and is expected to reach the northeast early Sunday. The cold air will then intensify between Monday and Wednesday, spreading across the entire northern region.

From Sunday evening, the north will start to feel cooler, with cold nights to follow. The lowest temperatures during this period are forecast at 19–21 C in the northern delta, including Hanoi, 17–19 C in the midlands and mountainous areas, and below 16 C in some high mountain localities such as Sa Pa and Ha Giang.

The American weather site AccuWeather forecasts Hanoi’s temperatures at 24–33 C over the weekend, then dropping to about 27 C during the day and 19 C at night by midweek.

A motorcyclist crosses Long Bien Bridge in Hanoi during the chilly late autumn–early winter weather of 2024. Photo by VnExpress/Hoang Giang

The cold front is fairly strong and will reach central Vietnam from the night of Sunday, bringing moderate rain and thunderstorms to the northern and central regions, with some southern central areas seeing heavy rain. At elevations above 1,500 meters, such as Sa Pa, the lowest temperature will be around 11 C.

Meteorologists warn that this first cold spell of the season could be accompanied by tornadoes, lightning, hail, and strong gusts, potentially damaging trees and houses and disrupting transportation and infrastructure.

Heavy rainfall could cause flooding in low-lying areas, flash floods in small rivers and streams, and landslides on steep slopes. Short, intense downpours may also inundate urban and industrial zones.

Hanoi and the northeastern provinces will experience showers and occasional thunderstorms.

According to national forecasters, cold air will likely remain active through December 2025 and January 2026, with the first strong cold waves expected to bring severe cold to northern Vietnam from mid- to late December 2025.