Heat waves to sweep across Vietnam during long weekend holiday

Nguyen Van Huong, head of the weather forecast department under the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, on Friday said northern Vietnam regions would be impacted by a low-pressure area from the west, resulting in hot sunny days until May 1.

The highest temperatures in northwestern Vietnam would be at 36-40 degrees. The plains and northeastern Vietnam would record temperatures at 36-38 degrees.

This is the first time in 10 years where all Vietnamese regions (northern, central and southern) would see heat waves during the Labor Day holiday. A mass of cold air would arrive in northern Vietnam the night of April 30, which would reduce the temperatures, but the sudden temperature differences may result in hails and gusts.

U.S. weather forecast service AccuWeather anticipated Hanoi’s temperatures to reach 38 degrees at the highest on Saturday. Daytime temperatures in the capital would remain at 37 degrees in the next three days. High-altitude locations like Lao Cai’s Sa Pa would see temperatures at 19-31 degrees during the holiday.

Several areas in central Vietnam’s Nghe An, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Quang Ngai and Phu Yen recorded temperatures over 40 degrees on Thursday. 11 coastal localities from Thanh Hoa to Phu Yen are expected to record temperatures at 37-40 degrees during the holiday, which will last five days from this weekend.

Certain coastal destinations in Thanh Hoa, Nghe An and Ha Tinh may record temperatures up to 44 degrees next Monday. In Da Nang, temperatures may reach 37 degrees on Sunday, while Khanh Hoa’s Nha Trang may record temperatures up to 35 degrees.

Southern Vietnam and the Central Highlands will continue to see heat waves until April 30, with the highest temperatures in the Central Highlands at 35-37 degrees. Southeastern Vietnam would record temperatures up to 37 degrees.

In HCMC, the highest temperatures during the holiday would be 38 degrees, with Lam Dong’s Da Lat, known as a hill town with cool climate, recording temperatures at 29-30 degrees. From May 1 to May 3, these two regions would see rains at dusk, with temperatures gradually dropping.

Meteorologists recommend people not to go out between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. during the holiday period to avoid the impacts of the heat and UV rays. People should also wear sunscreens and other measures to protect against the sun while going out.