Frost covers mountain peaks as cold front hits northern, central Vietnam

By Xuan Hoa   January 9, 2018 | 06:52 pm PT
The icy grip of winter in northern and north central regions is forecast to last until the end of the week.

A cold front that arrived in Vietnam's northern mountainous regions on Monday is forecast to increase in intensity and spread south, according to the National Center for Hydrometeorological Forecasting (NCHMF).

On Tuesday morning, the center recorded temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit) in 21 of Vietnam's provinces and municipalities, and the average temperatures in northern provinces dropped by over 10°C (18°F).

Mount Mau Son in Lang Son Province was the earliest to be hit by the cold front, with temperatures dropping to -0.3°C, the lowest to be recorded in the country this winter. Trees and plants at heights of over 1,100 meters (3,600 feet) above sea level were all covered in frost.

Plants on Mount Mau Son are covered in frost. Photo courtesy of Hoang Huy.

Plants on Mount Mau Son are covered in frost. Photo courtesy of Hoang Huy.

I can see white frost covering the mountaions from the tourism zone, said Hoang Huy from the Mau Son tourism zone's management board.

In other northern mountainous provinces such as Ha Giang, Vinh Phuc, Lao Cai and Son La, the temperatures dropped to 3-5°C. Meanwhile the Red River Delta, including Hanoi, recorded lows of 9-11°C.

Temperatures also dropped significantly in north central provinces, with weather stations in Thanh Hoa, Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces recording figures of only 11-15°C.

The cold snap also reached central and south central provinces on Tuesday, bringing rain to the region. Da Nang recorded temperatures of 18-25°C, while Binh Thuan, the southernmost central province, recorded values from 21-30°C. The average temperature in this region is expected to drop by about 2°C on Wednesday.

The cold snap is still increasing in intensity, so the average temperatures for northern and north central provinces are expected to stay below 15°C until the end of the week, with Tuesday and Wednesday forecast to be the coldest.

This is the second cold spell to hit Vietnam this winter following an earlier front between December 16 and 22. This spell saw the temperature drop to -0.2°C in Lai Chau Province's Sin Ho District, while Fansipan, the tallest mountain in Indochina, was covered in frost.

 
 
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