Southern Vietnam's rainy season expected to start earlier than usual

Typically, the rainy season in the southern region begins between May 6 and 10. This year, however, the early weakening of the high-pressure system has enabled westerly and southerly winds to arrive sooner.

"As these winds shift into the southwest monsoon, they will carry moisture from the sea, triggering rainfall over the mainland," said Le Dinh Quyet, Head of the Forecasting Department at the Southern Regional Hydrometeorological Center, on Saturday.

Meteorologist Le Thi Xuan Lan explained that the region's rainy season closely depends on the southwest monsoon. Starting from early May, as this monsoon stabilizes, increased rainfall is expected, initially beginning in the southernmost Kien Giang and Ca Mau provinces before spreading to other areas.

Lan noted that the transitional period from the dry season to the rainy season, from now through late April and early May, often brings severe weather events, including thunderstorms, hail, and tornadoes, due to atmospheric instability following the dry months.

"The transition to the rainy season typically brings extreme weather," Lan said.

This year, the southern region has experienced milder heat compared to previous years, with fewer intensely hot days. However, unusual out-of-season rains have occurred.

On Feb. 13, influenced by the year's first tropical depression, Ho Chi Minh City and southern provinces recorded the heaviest out-of-season rainfall in two decades, reaching 126 mm in Dong Nai and 124 mm in Ho Chi Minh City within 12 hours.

In recent days, unexpected heavy rains have caused flooding on several streets in Ho Chi Minh City. In Binh Duong Province, hailstorms and thunderstorms toppled trees, tragically leading to the death of a 16-year-old girl on Friday.