Thailand’s summer sun takes the heat up a notch: Temperatures set to sizzle at 45°c

The summer sun has begun its sizzling reign over Thailand, officially declared by the Meteorological Department of Thailand (TMD), with temperatures set to soar to a scorching 45°C on some days. Daily averages are predicted to hover around a balmy 36°C.

This surge in heat is credited to the blazing rays of sunshine blanketing the nation’s northern reaches, then whisked away by the breezy southerly winds synonymous with the summer season.

The department further indicated that cooler climate conditions are likely to be experienced in the north and the northeast until the middle of March. The current hot season is forecasted to conclude in mid-May.

For this summer, the anticipated average temperature is set between 36-37°C, slightly up from the previous year’s average of 35.8°C. The director of the forecast sub-division, Somkhuan Tonjan, announced that the peak of this heat is expected in March and April, with temperatures potentially reaching 43-44°C.

In certain areas, it may even surge to 45°C, which is higher than the previous record of 44.6°C documented in Mae Hong Son in 2016 and Tak province the past year.

The El Nino-Southern Oscillation phenomenon will continue to influence the weather throughout the summer season. However, its impact is expected to diminish as the year proceeds. The initial phase of the year is predicted to be dry, with rainfall potentially 30% below the usual mark, which may not bode well for agriculture.

Such weather conditions might lead to drought in non-irrigated zones and potential water shortages for both household and agricultural usage, warns Somkhuan.

In a striking contrast, the temperature dropped to 3°C at the peak of Thailand’s tallest mountain, Doi Inthanon, in Chiang Mai, yesterday. The morning saw frost covering the plant leaves. In the lower regions of Chiang Mai, temperatures varied between 14-16°C.

The chilly weather and frost, locally known as moei khab, attracted plenty of tourists to the Kiew Mae Pan viewpoint on Doi Inthanon.

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