A large, dark cloud with a tornado-like shape appeared off the Ninh Binh coast for about 30 minutes, accompanied by strong winds but causing no reported damage.

Lao Cai, Lai Chau and Tuyen Quang were placed under warnings for flash floods, landslides and ground subsidence on August 29, the first day of Vietnam’s National Day holiday.

Northern and north-central Vietnam are forecast to see several spells of heavy rain during the September 2 National Day holiday, while the low-pressure area left by Typhoon Saudel could return to the northern East Sea and strengthen into a storm.

Storm Narra spent five to six days circling the Gulf of Tonkin, repeatedly changing direction in a rare weather pattern that prolonged heavy rain and flooding across northern Vietnam.

Storm Narra has dissipated over mainland China, but northern Vietnam is not yet in the clear, with another spell of heavy rain forecast for the end of August.

Typhoon Narra is moving away and weakening, bringing a sharp drop in rainfall across northern Vietnam. Floodwaters are also receding on many rivers, although some in Bac Ninh remain at the highest warning level.

Storm Narra brought level-11 wind gusts to Bach Long Vi on August 24 as several rivers across northeastern Vietnam remained above the country’s highest flood warning level.

The Gulf of Tonkin, including Bach Long Vi, Van Don, Co To and Cat Hai special zones and Hon Dau island, as well as coastal areas of Quang Ninh and Hai Phong, will be affected. The disaster risk level is forecast at Level 3.

Tropical Storm Narra is crawling across the Gulf of Tonkin and repeatedly changing direction, threatening northern Vietnam with days of rain and localized totals exceeding 600mm.

Northeastern Vietnam faces days of heavy rain as a tropical depression over the Gulf of Tonkin strengthens and repeatedly changes direction.

Vietnam is heading toward a warmer-than-normal winter as El Nino strengthens, disrupting rainfall, storms and seasonal weather patterns across the country.

A tropical depression north of China’s Hainan Island is moving toward the Gulf of Tonkin and could strengthen into a storm within the next 24 hours, bringing rough seas and winds gusting up to 102kph.

A tropical depression could strengthen to levels 6-7 as it approaches the Gulf of Tonkin, while parts of northern and north-central Vietnam face more than 200mm of rain.

The tropical depression over the East Sea could strengthen to level 7, with gusts reaching level 9, over the next 24 hours as it slows and heads toward China’s Hainan Island, bringing rough seas.

Vietnam is heading into a potentially very strong El Nino as forecasters warn of above-average temperatures, rainfall shortages in some regions and unpredictable weather extremes.

Hanoi and 17 other localities are preparing for torrential rain from August 17-21, with more than 450mm possible in some areas.

A spell of torrential rain is forecast to sweep northern Vietnam and parts of north-central Vietnam from August 17-21, with some areas expected to receive more than 450mm.

Hanoi and many northern provinces and cities are enduring an intense heatwave, with temperatures exceeding 38°C in some areas. Hot weather is forecast to persist across northern and central Vietnam in the coming days.

Thunderstorms across northern and central Vietnam are rapidly easing, with a widespread heatwave likely to develop from August 9. Actual outdoor temperatures could feel hotter than 40°C.

The tropical depression over the eastern Gulf of Tonkin is moving slowly east-southeast and is forecast to weaken into a low-pressure area on August 8.