Forty Thai provinces face drought in coming dry season

BANGKOK: -- More than 40 Thai provinces, mostly in the North and Northeastern regions, are expected to encounter severe drought during the summer season this year, according to a weather forecast by the Meteorological Department.

The Department said this year's summer season in Thailand would start about mid-February.

Average temperatures in the North and the Northeast are projected at between 40-43 Celsius while it is between 40-42 Celsius in the Central and Eastern regions, it said.

In Bangkok as well as its surrounding areas and in the South, the average temperature during summer is estimated at between 37-39 Celsius, said the Department.

It said the amount of rainfall during the summer season is forecast to be higher than usual but still insufficient for ordinary consumption and farming in some areas, especially in the North, Northeast and the South.

Dry weather is anticipated during the season and people are warned by the Department of bush fires, it said.

Tropical storms are anticipated, with hailstorms during March and April in the upper part of the country, the department added, which could damage property and crops.

--TNA 2008-02-02

Mercury to rise to 43 degrees in summer

BANGKOK: -- The summer will begin in the middle of this month with temperatures to peak at 40 to 43 Celsius degrees, the Meteorological Department announced Saturday.

It said the hottest temperatures are expected in northern and northeastern provinces, such as Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Lampang Lamphun, Nan Nong Khai, Loei, Udon Thani, Nakhon Phanom, Mukdahan, Khon Kaen and Roi Et.

Bangkok would seek the highest temperatures of 37 to 39 degrees.

-- The Nation 2008-02-02

This sounds like the sort of weather, and temperatures, that we last had here around March 1998.

Are they foreseeing an El Nino year again?

Strange, we've had cloudy weather and even a bit of rain over the last few days in Chonburi, even heard thunder once yesterday. Never happened before this time of year in the last five years.

Edited February 2, 200818 yr by Tony Clifton

I guess that means that folks in CM can look forward to breathing difficulties for the next few months. Why will I not be surprised when clouds of acrid smoke from forest and brush fires hang over the North? It had to be the wettest Nov-Dec in Phuket in 2007 that I can remember going back over 10 years

Maybe we will get lucky and get enough rainfall. Who Know?

Got a few hours of rain here today.

Yawn...

Lived in one of these regions for five years. Every year, about January/February, we get these same-same dire predictions from the government. Isaan, for example, is a flat, arid plain. Water-supply ponds dry up. The hot wind cooks your face. Kids scrounge for little frogs and miniature crabs in the deep cracks of the parched landscape to keep body and soul together, as they have done for at least a thousand years. It's normal. Duh.

Conversely, about the middle of every September we then get the opposite predictions about frigid cold that will bring devastation and misery to the north half of Thailand.

My take on it: Someone in higher official echelons is trying to pad their annual budget with "emergency aid" funds that will be reallocated later to their pet, frivolous project (such as providing additional "training" for supervisors of village-aid workers...training location--Hawaii, of course; or sending 25 meteorological dept. managers to Monaco for three weeks to study the Mediterranean climate). I work for the Thai government. It happens.

Edited February 3, 200818 yr by toptuan

Strange, we've had cloudy weather and even a bit of rain over the last few days in Chonburi, even heard thunder once yesterday. Never happened before this time of year in the last five years.

Got a few hours of rain here today.

I was staying in the army camp in Chonburi 12 years ago.After the normal dry winter at the beginning of February we had a heavy storm that lasted 24 hours, thunder and lightning every 2-3 minutes non stop. At the end of it the bottom end of the camp where we were staying (Nakhon Pathom road) was under over a foot of water. It made the rain we had yesterday look like a light shower.

The Department said this year's summer season in Thailand would start about mid-February.

Average temperatures in the North and the Northeast are projected at between 40-43 Celsius while it is between 40-42 Celsius in the Central and Eastern regions, it said.

according to this thread http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=167606 it rained constantly in the north east for the last 5 days, with day/night temperatures around 10 centigrades - not likely there would be a sudden weather change in 10 days time

The Department said this year's summer season in Thailand would start about mid-February.

Average temperatures in the North and the Northeast are projected at between 40-43 Celsius while it is between 40-42 Celsius in the Central and Eastern regions, it said.

according to this thread http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=167606 it rained constantly in the north east for the last 5 days, with day/night temperatures around 10 centigrades - not likely there would be a sudden weather change in 10 days time

This is the meteorological dept website - /www.tmd.go.th/en/region.php?RegionID=1