From the evening of May 28 through the night of May 29, northern and north-central Vietnam are forecast to experience a significant bout of heavy rainfall, with some areas potentially receiving over 180mm of rain and localized downpours exceeding 100mm within three hours.

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Vu Tuan Anh, from the Weather Forecasting Department, shares predictions about the incoming heavy rains in northern Vietnam.

Vu Tuan Anh of the Weather Forecasting Department at the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting (under the General Department of Meteorology and Hydrology, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment) provided insights on the upcoming rainfall across the northern, north-central, Central Highlands, and southern regions.

According to Tuan Anh, this round of rainfall is attributed to a combination of a weak cold air mass compressing a low-pressure trough and an upper-level wind convergence zone at around 1,500 meters altitude.

Starting from late May 28 into May 29, the northern region is expected to receive widespread moderate to heavy rainfall, with some locations experiencing very heavy rain. The general rainfall range is 30-90mm, but some areas may exceed 180mm.

In the early hours of May 29, heavy rainfall may also begin in the north-central region, lasting through the night. Rainfall totals in this area are forecast between 30-70mm, with localized areas potentially exceeding 150mm.

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Heavy rains in northern Vietnam raise flooding risks in low-lying areas. Photo: Le Quan

Tuan Anh also noted that beyond the northern region, rain-inducing weather patterns are intensifying in the south, particularly with the strengthening southwest monsoon interacting with a low-pressure trough across the south-central region.

Forecasts suggest that the Central Highlands, southern Vietnam, and possibly the south-central region will experience moderate to heavy rains with isolated very heavy showers and thunderstorms during the evenings of May 28-29.

This new round of rainfall comes after several days of already severe rain in northern and north-central Vietnam, which has resulted in significant damage to both people and property.

Especially in mountainous areas, where soil and rock are saturated with water, the risk of landslides remains high. Residents are advised to stay alert for flooding in low-lying, urban, and industrial areas, as well as potential flash floods in small rivers and streams and landslides on steep slopes.

Importantly, following this rain event, northern Vietnam is expected to enter a heatwave lasting from June 1 to 5, with temperatures in Hanoi potentially reaching 38°C.

Bao Anh