Cooler weather surprises central & northern Thailand

PHOTO: The Pinoy Legacy

Thais in many provinces are surprised about the sudden cool spell that has brought them relief from the sweltering summer heat. According to the Meteorological Department, Thailand’s summer officially began on March 3 (we admit to being totally unaware how they arrive at this date).

But instead of experiencing almost unbearable heat, as they expect to, people woke up on Sunday morning to cool weather. Even in Bangkok, the mercury plunged to 23 degrees Celsius, well below the average for this time of the year. Elsewhere in the country’s North and Northeast, temperatures ranged between 13 and 20 degrees Celsius.

Residents of Bueng Kan province found the need to wear warm clothes. A woman living in Phayao province even wore socks due to the chill in the air. The cool breeze has caught people by surprise, but the Meteorological Department had predicted since the end of March that temperatures would drop in the upper part of the country.

“With tropical storms and rainstorms, hot and cool weather will alternate for a while,” the department has forecast.

For the South and Phuket the official forecast is ‘very cloudy with scattered thundershowers mostly in Ranong, Phangnga, Phuket and Krabi. Lows of 21-26 °C. Highs of 32-35 °C. Fresh easterly winds 20-35 kmh. Wave height about 2 metres in open seas.’

SOURCES: The Nation, TMD