Phuket and Andaman coast warned of storms and rough seas for next few days

A weather alert from last night by the Phuket Info Centre is warning of possible flash floods and “wild water flows” in Phuket, and other provinces on the Andaman coast. The stormy weather and high waves are predicted to last from today until Monday (May 7-9).

Sailors in the Andaman Sea are being warned not to sail in areas with thunderstorms, as waves could rise to 2 metres high, and possibly higher. The Phuket Info Centre added in its warning that the intense low pressure cell covering the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea “tends to intensify into a cyclone”, and will move to cover the upper Bay of Bengal from May 7-9.

The low pressure cell can cause heavy rain in some areas of Thailand’s southern region, and the centre warns residents in the area to be aware of the dangers of heavy rains and accumulated rainfall, which it says can cause water flows and flash floods.

The timing of Thailand’s wet season varies between different regions in the country. In Phuket, Krabi, and the Andaman coast, it usually starts raining from mid April to October and November.

Phuket’s wettest months are September and October. When it rains, it pours. The strong south westerly winds usually make the west-facing beaches unswimmable for the duration of the monsoon – many tourists drown off these coastlines each year so take the red flags and warnings from the lifeguards seriously.

SOURCE: The Phuket News