Thailand braces for cold snap, heavy rain, and foggy mornings
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has forecasted that tomorrow will bring cold weather, dense fog, and increased rainfall in some areas. A high-pressure system or weak cold air mass is covering upper Thailand and the South China Sea, leading to foggy mornings and dense fog in several areas.
Northern and northeastern Thailand will experience cold to very cold weather, while the central region, Bangkok, and its vicinity will be cool in the morning. Mountainous areas will face very cold weather, with frost in some high-altitude locations. Residents are advised to drive cautiously in foggy areas.
The northeastern monsoon continues to cover the Gulf of Thailand, the South, and the Andaman Sea, resulting in heavy rainfall in some southern regions. The TMD has issued the third warning, indicating that temperatures will drop by 5 degrees Celsius and heavy rains are expected.
The lower Gulf of Thailand will experience waves 1 to 2 metres high, with areas affected by thunderstorms seeing waves over 2 metres. Mariners in these regions should exercise caution and avoid sailing in thunderstorms.
From January 26 to January 28, a new, relatively strong high-pressure system from China will extend over upper Thailand and the South China Sea, causing temperatures to drop and winds to strengthen. The northeastern region will see temperatures decrease by 3 to 5 degrees Celsius, while in the north, central, eastern regions, and Bangkok, temperatures will fall by 2 to 4 degrees Celsius.
The strengthening northeastern monsoon will bring more rain to the southern regions, with heavy falls in some areas. Wave heights in the lower Gulf of Thailand will range from 2 to 3 metres, exceeding 3 metres in stormy areas. The upper Gulf will have waves about 2 metres high, with stronger conditions in thunderstorms.
Weather forecast
The atmospheric conditions are contributing to significant dust accumulation due to poor air circulation and light winds.
The north will be cool to cold with morning fog, and temperatures will slightly rise, ranging from 13 to 18 degrees Celsius at the lowest and 32 to 36 degrees Celsius at the highest. Mountain tops will be very cold, with frost in some areas and temperatures between 5 to 15 degrees Celsius, with southwesterly winds at 5 to 15 kilometres per hour.
In the northeast, the weather will be cool to cold with dense morning fog, with temperatures between 14 to 18 degrees Celsius at the lowest and 33 to 36 degrees Celsius at the highest. Mountain peaks will be cold, with temperatures from 8 to 14 degrees Celsius, with easterly winds at 10 to 15 kilometres per hour.
The central region will be cool with morning fog and dense fog in several areas, with temperatures ranging from 19 to 21 degrees Celsius at the lowest and 34 to 36 degrees Celsius at the highest, with easterly winds at 10 to 15 kilometres per hour.
The eastern region will be cool with morning fog and dense fog in several areas, with light rain in some areas. Temperatures will range from 18 to 23 degrees Celsius at the lowest and 32 to 36 degrees Celsius at the highest, with easterly winds at 10 to 30 kilometres per hour. The sea will have waves less than 1 metre high, with waves reaching 1 metre offshore.
In the upper southern region, the weather will be cool with morning fog, while the lower southern region will experience thunderstorms in 30% of the area and heavy rain in some places, particularly in Songkhla, Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat. Temperatures will range from 20 to 24 degrees Celsius at the lowest and 30 to 34 degrees Celsius at the highest.
Northeastern winds will range from 15 to 30 kilometres per hour in areas from Nakhon Si Thammarat upward, with waves about 1 metre high. From Songkhla downward, winds will reach 15 to 35 kilometres per hour, with waves 1 to 2 metres high, exceeding 2 metres in thunderstorms.
The western southern region will have mostly cloudy skies with thunderstorms in 20% of the area, mainly in Phuket, Krabi, Trang, and Satun. Temperatures will range from 23 to 25 degrees Celsius at the lowest and 32 to 34 degrees Celsius at the highest, with northeasterly winds at 10 to 30 kilometres per hour.
The sea will have waves less than 1 metre high, and waves will reach 1 metre offshore, exceeding 2 metres in thunderstorms.
Bangkok and its vicinity will be cool with morning fog and dense fog in many areas. Temperatures will range from 21 to 24 degrees Celsius at the lowest and 33 to 35 degrees Celsius at the highest, with easterly winds at 10 to 15 kilometres per hour.
The TMD warns that temperatures will drop sharply, with heavy rain anticipated. The fourth warning has been issued regarding the cold weather over upper Thailand and strong winds in the Gulf of Thailand, effective from January 26 to January 28.
Residents are advised to maintain health precautions due to the colder weather and to be cautious of potential fire hazards due to dry and windy conditions. Mariners in the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea should navigate carefully, and small boats in the Gulf should avoid setting out from January 27 to January 28, reported KhaoSod.
People are encouraged to follow updates from the TMD through their website or contact numbers available 24 hours.
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