Temperatures in Hanoi dropped to 13 degrees Celsius on Nov. 19 morning, about 6–7 degrees lower than the previous day. It was cold with occasional light rain, yet many people still kept up their habit of exercising around Hoan Kiem Lake.
Across all 15 northern provinces and cities, temperatures in the morning were below 15 degrees Celsius. Mount Mau Son in Lang Son, perched 1,500 meters above sea level, recorded just over 3 degrees. The drop was caused by a strong mass of cold air sweeping into the northern region before moving down toward central Vietnam.
Long, who runs an iced-tea stall on Tam Trinh Street in Linh Nam Ward, said he lights a fire whenever the weather turns cold so his customers can stay warm while having a drink.
On Me Tri Road in Tu Liem District, many parents used raincoats and plastic bags to shield their children from the cold on the way to school. The combination of cold air and light drizzle this morning made the chill feel even sharper.
A motorbike with an oversized windscreen sat higher than the rider’s head, but the man still had to put on extra pants and a raincoat while driving along Le Van Luong Street.
Early in the morning, the sky cleared and rain stopped, and temperatures inched up slightly, but the cold lingered. Many people wore warm jackets and layered raincoats over them to block the wind when heading out.
Nguyen Thi Loan’s sidewalk drink stall sits beside the Kim Nguu River. She had to set up an umbrella to shield customers from the cold wind.
Many people bundled up in jackets and ear-covering hats, warming their hands with hot tea along the sidewalks.
Hoa, who sells sticky rice in the morning, said most customers opted to take their food to go rather than sit and eat as usual because of the strong northeast monsoon winds.
Several temporary food stalls in Ha Dong Ward’s urban area wrapped their metal frames with sheets of plastic to block wind and keep customers warm.
According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, temperatures in the capital are expected to gradually rise to 15–24 degrees Celsius by the weekend.
