VietNamNet Bridge - Following 2016, considered by meteorological agencies to be the hottest year since 1880, hot spells this year are expected to come later and will be less severe.

Vietnam has been influenced by El Nino for three consecutive years. Due to climate change, this phenomenon occurs more frequently and causes more serious consequences.

In the first nine months of 2016, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, pointed out that this was a record hot period not only in Vietnam but all over the world.

According to the Central Hydrometeorological Forecast Center, in the hot period from April to September 2016, the eastern part of the southern region had 77 hot days, the highest number in the country. 

Meanwhile, the middle of the central region had 75 hot days, the south central region 65 days, and the north central region 62 days. The northeast, including Hanoi, had 42 hot and sunny days.

Following 2016, considered by meteorological agencies to be the hottest year since 1880, hot spells this year are expected to come later and will be less severe.

2016 was a record hot year in Vietnam because it was the time when El Nino reached its peak. Meteorological experts believe that El Nino will continue to affect Vietnam this year.

According to the season calendar, summer begins on April 20. However, the hot weather has occurred on a large scale in the northwest and provinces from Thanh Hoa to Thua Thien – Hue since early April. 

The highest temperature of the day in the areas reached 35-38oC and 39oC in some places. The time when the temperature was over 35oC lasted 12-16 hours.

However, these hot days alternated with cool days. The weather changes regularly from cold to hot within just a few days, accompanied by thunderstorms.

Hot weather 

According to Le Thanh Hai, deputy general director of the National Meteorological and Hydrographic Center, most forecasting centers in the world believe that El Nino would return in mid-2017, in May-July and agree that El Nino would not be as strong as seen in 2016.

“This would be a weak El Nino. The possibility of El Nino repeating its high peak in 2014-2015 and 1997-1998 is low,” he said.

However, he emphasized that it is necessary to continue watching as El Nino forecasts are reliable only for three to six months and its impact usually comes months later.

Hai said the average temperature in summer would be higher by 0.5-1oC than average temperature, while hot spells would last 10 days at maximum instead of months.

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