Monsoon rains hit Phuket

PHUKET: Thunder and heavy rain across Phuket yesterday morning indicate that the monsoon season is settling in.

Sorot Sawatdiraksa, a meteorologist with the Southern Meteorological Center at Phuket Airport, said the rains were the first heavy morning rains this year.

“The rain is a sign of change. Before yesterday there were no morning rains, only hot-season evening rains related to thunderstorm activity. In the monsoon season, it normally rains morning and evening, but without heavy thunder. In this sense, yesterday morning’s thunder was quite unusual,” he said.

Heavy monsoon rains typically return to Phuket in May and run though until December, he said.

The Meteorological Department’s forecast for Phuket for the 24-hour period starting at 5pm yesterday calls for widely scattered thundershowers over 30% of the island.

— Sitthipong Nongkaew