Northern Vietnam to enjoy week-long cool weather

Over the last two days, northern regions have been seeing rains and temperatures up to 32 degrees Celsius. Several mountainous localities like Lao Cai, Son La, Yen Bai and Ha Giang even observed tornadoes and lightning.

Cool and rainy weather will persist in northern Vietnam until May 9, with the highest temperatures not surpassing 33 degrees, according to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting. Rain, hails and lightning may occur in mountainous areas and the midlands.

Starting from May 10, as the mass of cold air weakens, rains will subside and temperatures begin to rise in northern Vietnam.

U.S. weather forecast service AccuWeather said Hanoi's daytime temperatures this week would be around 28-31 degrees, and 23-25 degrees at night. High-altitude locations like Lao Cai's Sa Pa would record temperatures at 16-25 degrees.

In Dien Bien, where the 70th anniversary of the victorious battle of Dien Bien Phu would take place on May 7, temperatures would be around 19-33 degrees, with a chance of rain.

In central Vietnam, areas from Thanh Hoa to Ha Tinh would observe rains until May 8, with the highest temperatures not exceeding 35 degrees. Areas from Quang Binh to Binh Thuan would not see much rain, but there would also be no hot sunny days on a wide scale, with daytime temperatures ranging between 33-36 degrees.

Rains in southern Vietnam and the Central Highlands over the last two days have helped reduced the temperatures and alleviated salt intrusion. Over the next two days, rains would persist, though they would not last long. The highest temperatures in the Central Highlands would be around 32-35 degrees, and 33-36 degrees in southern Vietnam.

Meteorologists said that when the monsoon winds from the southwest arrives in the latter half of May, southern Vietnam and the Central Highlands would enter their rainy season, ending the strings of hot sunny days.