The southern region, including HCM City, is expected to face a longer and more intense heat wave this year due to El Niño compared to previous years, according to weather experts.

A new cold spell is forecast to grip northern Vietnam on February 6, which will cause temperatures to drop sharply, according to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

Flights in Noi Bai International Airport (NIA) in Hanoi could not take off or land, due to the unusual thick smog cloaking the capital city on February 2.

Fog blanketed the capital city of Hanoi on February 2 morning, with visibility falling to 10 metres, affecting normal life of Hanoians.

The northern region is forecast to endure more strong cold spells in February which are set to cause temperatures to plunge, with northern mountainous areas likely to also face periods of rain and frost.

Many tourists have visited the peak of Mau Son Mountain in the northern province of Lang Son over recent days as they head to witness frost which has formed at the 1,500 metre-mountain peak.

Chilly weather conditions in Hanoi have caused the number of elderly people and children sent to hospital for respiratory illness increase.

The temperature at Mau Son mountain peak in the northern province of Lang Son continued to sink to minus -1.1 degrees Celsius on the early morning of January 23, with white frost seen at the 1,500 metre-mountain peak.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on January 23 issued an official dispatch instructing local administrations of northern and north central localities and relevant ministries to take measure to urgently deal with the prolonged and severe cold wave.

Temperatures have tumbled sharply after a strong cold air wave hit northern localities of Vietnam early on January 21, according to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

If less rainfall continues at present rates in the south region of Vietnam during the first half of the year, the region will be at risk for drought conditions, said weather forecasters.

Northern Vietnam is expected to get warm before enduring a strong cold spell this weekend, according to the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting.

Hoar frost blanketed the top of Mount Fansipan, the nation’s highest peak in the northern province of Lao Cai, in the early morning of January 3 following a new cold wave.

Northern Vietnam is set to experience warmer weather, whilst central and southern regions will be sunny and dry during the upcoming New Year holiday.

Mount Fansipan, the nation’s highest peak in the northern province of Lao Cai, was left hoar frost-covered on December 26 as local temperatures dropped to minus three degrees Celsius due to the effect of a strong cold wave.

The northern and north-central provinces are forecasted to see rising temperatures from December 26 as the severe cold spell eases.

The severe cold spell, which has blanketed the northern region as well as the provinces of Thanh Hoa and Nghe An since last Saturday, is expected to last until following Monday.

Temperatures across the northern region dropped further due to the effect of a strong cold snap, with thicker frost forming on local mountaintops.

The northern region of Vietnam is expected to experience the strongest cold this winter this weekend after warm weekdays, according to the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting.

Prolonged precipitation yesterday triggered a massive debris cascade of rock from a cliff causing the traffic congestion in the National Highway 8A.