VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment said in 2013, hydro- meteorological experts noted many records about the weather, such as the biggest ever hail in Lao Cai or the "cataclysm" in Quang Ngai.

Record snowfall in Lao Cai

On 15/12/2013, the temperature dropped below 1°C, causing snowfalls of up to 40cm thick in many areas of the northern mountain province of Lao Cai.

As noted by the hydro-meteorological sector, snowfall has not appeared in Lao Cai in December since 1961 and this was also the strongest snowfall so far.

While the snow has not melted yet, Lao Cai and some other northern mountain provinces like Ha Giang and Lai Chau suffered from hoarfrost, which caused several millions of USD of crop damage.

A house destroyed by hails.

Also in Lao Cai, hail occurred three times, including two times on 27/3 and once on March 29. The hail destroyed and damaged more than 10,000 roofs and injured over 30 people.

In particular, during the hail on the morning of 27/3, there were ice pieces as big as fists and bowls. These big ice pieces broke the roofs of thousands of houses and injured 16 people. Many people had to get under beds to seek shelter. With the ice pieces of 10-14cm in diameter, this hail was the largest hail ever recorded in Vietnam.

The number of storms and tropical depressions hit record numbers

Many houses in the northern coastal province of Quang Ninh lost the roofs due to storm Haiyan.

There were 15 storms and five tropical depressions in the East Sea last year. Thus, the number of storms and tropical depressions was up to 20, surpassing the 1964 record of 16 storms and tropical depressions.

In October alone, there were up to seven storms in the Pacific, surpassing the record number of six in October 1989. Especially, the super-strong Haiyan storm of up to level 17 appeared in the East Sea this month. This was one of the most powerful storms in the history of mankind. Once it landed in Vietnam, the storm was very much weakened. But nearly 1 million people in coastal provinces were evacuated.

With 19 storms and depressions coming into the East Sea, 2013 is considered to be a record year in the past 50 years (1946 had 16 storms and depressions) in which eight storms and one tropical depression affected Vietnam. The storms appeared very early, from January, much earlier than previous years. Vietnam suffered super storms like Wutip, Nari and Haiyan, with dozens of dead and damage cost of more than VND11 trillion. Many central provinces were attacked by historic floods.

The historic flood in Quang Ngai

In mid-November, Ba To district in the central province of Quang Ngai had the highest daily rainfall in Vietnam’s history - 661mm. According to the final report of the National Hydro-meteorological Forecast Center, the rainy season came very soon and ended later than the previous years.

Northern Vietnam had the highest temperature in history

According to the National Hydro-meteorological Forecast Center, from April to the end of November, Vietnam had 12 heat spells, mainly in the northern and central provinces.

In some areas in the North Delta, the temperature reached the highest level since 1960, 38.6 degrees in Bac Giang on 16/5, 39.6°C on 16/5 in Bac Ninh, 39.7 degrees on 15/5 in Nam Dinh, 39.6 degrees on 15/5 in Ninh Binh and 39.5 degrees on 16/5 in Ha Nam.

S. Tung