According to forecasts from the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, Northern Vietnam is experiencing the coldest spell of winter this year.
Frost and snow have continued to appear in several high mountainous areas of the northern provinces as of January 24, and this trend is expected to continue for several more days.
Forecasts indicate that the North will continue to experience severe cold, with many areas seeing temperatures drop below 10 degrees Celsius. This is identified as the coldest spell since the historic cold wave eight years ago.
Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Huy, a meteorologist and climate change expert, stated that the sudden cold weather phenomenon is influenced by El Niño. This occurs during El Niño years, which typically see higher than normal temperatures. In 2024, the trend is predicted to be 1.5 to 2 degrees Celsius above the long-term average for this period. During winter, El Niño years often bring sudden cold spells with temperatures lower than the averages of previous years.
According to information from VTV, the cause of this historic cold wave is due to a strong, large-scale cold air center in Siberia, Russia, with core air pressure reaching 1080 mb. This is identified as a rarely encountered high air pressure level, as the cold wave last December only reached 1060 mb. Additionally, a high-altitude flow at 5,000 meters has allowed the cold air to penetrate deeply into Northern Vietnam. Forecasts suggest that this intense cold spell could last until the end of the week.
Students dressed warmly for school.
The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting has issued warnings about severe cold in the Northern and North Central regions on the night of January 23 and throughout January 24.
Specifically, on the night of January 23, cold air affected some areas in the South Central region; in the high mountainous areas of the North, frost was reported in some locations.
The Northern and North Central regions are experiencing severe cold, while the Central North region is also chilly, with some places in the North experiencing extreme cold. During this cold front, the lowest temperatures in the North are generally between 8-10 degrees Celsius, while in the high mountainous areas, temperatures can drop to 3-6 degrees Celsius, with some places even below 0 degrees.
A series of localities have reported the appearance of frost and snow
From the morning of January 23, temperatures in the Northern and North Central regions dropped below 10 degrees Celsius, resulting in severe cold and frost in some areas of the high mountains in the North, where temperatures fell below 0 degrees Celsius.
The forecast indicates that this record-breaking cold spell will last for several days, prompting urgent responses from various northern mountain localities.
The lowest temperatures in the Northern region are generally between 7-10 degrees Celsius, while in the high mountainous areas, temperatures range from 2-5 degrees Celsius, with some areas experiencing frost and snow.
Some recorded temperatures in northern mountainous provinces on January 23 were below 0 degrees Celsius, such as Mount Mau Son (Lang Son) at -0.9 degrees, with other areas dropping below 5 degrees like Ha Giang at 2.2 degrees, Sa Pa at 3.7 degrees, Tam Dao (Vinh Phuc) at 2 degrees, and Moc Chau (Son La) at 4.4 degrees. Northern provinces generally ranged from 8-11 degrees.
Frost and snow appeared in Yen Tu, Mau Son, and many other places – (Photo: Page Beat Lang Son)
The temperature on Mount Mau Son (Lang Son) on the morning of January 23 was reported to be the lowest in the Northern region, with light rain and northeast winds causing frost to accumulate on branches, cars, and the ice layer thickening by the hour.
The appearance of frost created a unique landscape that attracted many tourists. Therefore, despite the biting cold, many visitors flocked to Mau Son to admire the snow and ice. Lodging facilities in the central tourist area quickly filled up.
A representative from the Mau Son Tourist Management Department stated that frost began to appear on the evening of January 22. By the morning of January 23, nearly 600 visitors had come to this location. Currently, the three guesthouses at the peak are fully booked, so many tourists choose to visit for the day and return to the city.
