What Do You Think?

[Ulysses G.]

It seems to me that normally rainy season starts in earnest about the middle of May until the end of May, but it started raining much earlier this year.

Do you think that it will just keep on raining until the end of September, or is more of hot season going to hit us soon?

Edited May 16, 2009 by Ulysses G.

[Ajarn]

It has been my impression that the rainy season starts at the beginning of May, but has started a bit late this year. But yes, I think the rains are here until at least September, but more likely October, as usual

[Ulysses G.]

I think that you are right about the last two years, but before that I seem to remember it being later. Anyone remember for sure (or have a graph)?

[Ricardo]

No giraph, but I saw an elephant in the soi, one time.

I myself thought the wet-season started a week or two early this year, based on 5 years experience, and would definitely say that it is now established. I'd put start-of-May as the usual time.

[cmjantje]

Some will say that it is because of Global Warming (BS)

[PeaceBlondie]

January 29.0° C 14.0° C 0.76 cm

February 32.0° C 16.0° C 0.51 cm

March 34.0° C 19.0° C 1.52 cm

April 36.0° C 23.0° C 4.57 cm

May 34.0° C 24.0° C 15.24 cm

June 32.0° C 24.0° C 13.46 cm

July 32.0° C 24.0° C 16.76 cm

August 31.0° C 24.0° C 22.61 cm

September 31.0° C 23.0° C 25.15 cm

October 31.0° C 22.0° C 13.21 cm

November 29.0° C 19.0° C 4.32 cm

[alant]

No giraph, but I saw an elephant in the soi, one time.

made me laugh (a lot)

love the rain, saves a fortune less water, less power, drives the wife crazy as i stay in looking at the forum instead of being out on the bike, oh well

[Maccheroncini]

I also rememberd Chiang mai used to be much dryer not so much rain except in the rainy season.

Now it gets more humid most time of the year. It must be the global warming thing at work.

[AjarnChan]

It seems to me that normally rainy season starts in earnest about the middle of May until the end of May, but it started raining much earlier this year.

Do you think that it will just keep on raining until the end of September, or is more of hot season going to hit us soon?

Here in Phuket it started raining almost every day about a month ago, in mid April. My Thai family say it was early, but that it is not so unusual. The 'muddy puddle' behind my home has been a large lake ever since; to the joy of the Frogs and Water Buffalo

[Theyreallrubbish]

Who knows if its early, but God its welcome!

So much more pleasant now it cooled down.

Strangely, I look at the temperature and its still quite high, but it "feels" so much cooler after becoming acclimatised to 40 degree plus heat over the last month or two

[Jungian]

Monday was "ploughing day" (that's why all the government offices were closed) which marks the beginning of rain season officially.

[WaiWai]

Monday was "ploughing day" (that's why all the government offices were closed) which marks the beginning of rain season officially.

Buffaloes' day off ?

Meteorological Department warns of flash floods in 18 provinces

Published on May 15, 2009

The Meteorological Department Friday warned residents of 18 provinces around the country to brace themselves for heavy rainfalls Friday and Saturday.

The provinces are Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Tak, Uttaradit, Phetchabun, Uthai Thani, Nakhon Sawan, Chainat, Sing Buri, Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi, Rayong, Nakhon Nayok, Prachin Buri, Phetchaburi, Rayong, Trang and Satun.

The department said a powerful low-pressure mass over the lower Cenral and upper South caused torrential rains in the provinces and isolated heavy rainfalls in other provinces.

The Nation

[Priceless]

January 29.0° C 14.0° C 0.76 cm

February 32.0° C 16.0° C 0.51 cm

March 34.0° C 19.0° C 1.52 cm

April 36.0° C 23.0° C 4.57 cm

May 34.0° C 24.0° C 15.24 cm

June 32.0° C 24.0° C 13.46 cm

July 32.0° C 24.0° C 16.76 cm

August 31.0° C 24.0° C 22.61 cm

September 31.0° C 23.0° C 25.15 cm

October 31.0° C 22.0° C 13.21 cm

November 29.0° C 19.0° C 4.32 cm

Just to make your list complete, I'll add:

December 28.3° C 15.0° C 1.98 cm

Incidentally, the Thai Meteorological Department claims that May normally has 15 rainy days (though that information is based on the years 1961-1990).

/ Priceless

[sassienie]

It has been my impression that the rainy season starts at the beginning of May, but has started a bit late this year. But yes, I think the rains are here until at least September, but more likely October, as usual

I agree.

Where I live near San Pa Tong it has been raining almost everyday for the last week.

[jackr]

It has been my impression that the rainy season starts at the beginning of May, but has started a bit late this year. But yes, I think the rains are here until at least September, but more likely October, as usual

I agree.

Where I live near San Pa Tong it has been raining almost everyday for the last week.

I don't. Apart from a crazy year here and there, CM generally seems to have an uneventful rainy season (compared with proper ones in the south where it really rains everyday). This is just a blip, although a welcome one.

[IanForbes]

We certainly had a longer dry period in Chiang Mai last winter and it was colder as well. I stay in Chiang Mai from November first until the end of March. I hardly saw any rain at all in those 5 months. There is a small pond in back of my apartment off Wiang Phing road. It was completely dry by the middle of last March. That is the first time I saw that happen in the past 4 years.

[Priceless]

We certainly had a longer dry period in Chiang Mai last winter and it was colder as well. I stay in Chiang Mai from November first until the end of March. I hardly saw any rain at all in those 5 months. There is a small pond in back of my apartment off Wiang Phing road. It was completely dry by the middle of last March. That is the first time I saw that happen in the past 4 years.

Are you sure? The dry season of 2006-2007 (the infamous pollution year) there was not a single millimetre of rain from the end of October until late April.

/ Priceless

Edited May 16, 2009 by Priceless

[IanForbes]

We certainly had a longer dry period in Chiang Mai last winter and it was colder as well. I stay in Chiang Mai from November first until the end of March. I hardly saw any rain at all in those 5 months. There is a small pond in back of my apartment off Wiang Phing road. It was completely dry by the middle of last March. That is the first time I saw that happen in the past 4 years.

Are you sure? The dry season of 2006-2007 (the infamous pollution year) there was not a single millimetre of rain from the end of October until late April.

/ Priceless

You could be right, Priceless, but this was my room view in March of 2007. The pond is full in November and you can't see any of the weeds.

This was my room view in early March this year and by the end of the month there was no water at all.

By the end of March even these pools the water buffalo dug out were dry and someone moved the buffalo elsewhere.

Of course it could be that somebody diverted the creek that feeds the pond.

[Maccheroncini]

After all the rain pond should be filled by now.

We certainly had a longer dry period in Chiang Mai last winter and it was colder as well. I stay in Chiang Mai from November first until the end of March. I hardly saw any rain at all in those 5 months. There is a small pond in back of my apartment off Wiang Phing road. It was completely dry by the middle of last March. That is the first time I saw that happen in the past 4 years.

Are you sure? The dry season of 2006-2007 (the infamous pollution year) there was not a single millimetre of rain from the end of October until late April.

/ Priceless

You could be right, Priceless, but this was my room view in March of 2007. The pond is full in November and you can't see any of the weeds.

This was my room view in early March this year and by the end of the month there was no water at all.

By the end of March even these pools the water buffalo dug out were dry and someone moved the buffalo elsewhere.

Of course it could be that somebody diverted the creek that feeds the pond.

[Jungian]

Monday was "ploughing day" (that's why all the government offices were closed) which marks the beginning of rain season officially.

Buffaloes' day off ?

Meteorological Department warns of flash floods in 18 provinces

Published on May 15, 2009

The Meteorological Department Friday warned residents of 18 provinces around the country to brace themselves for heavy rainfalls Friday and Saturday.

The provinces are Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Tak, Uttaradit, Phetchabun, Uthai Thani, Nakhon Sawan, Chainat, Sing Buri, Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi, Rayong, Nakhon Nayok, Prachin Buri, Phetchaburi, Rayong, Trang and Satun.

The department said a powerful low-pressure mass over the lower Cenral and upper South caused torrential rains in the provinces and isolated heavy rainfalls in other provinces.

The Nation

Hey, hey, hey, I resemble that.... I'm a government employee!

[harrry]

Buffaloes' day off ?

Hey, hey, hey, I resemble that.... I'm a government employee!

Not half as much reason to be upset by that as the buffaloes have.

[Dustoff]

January 29.0° C 14.0° C 0.76 cm

February 32.0° C 16.0° C 0.51 cm

March 34.0° C 19.0° C 1.52 cm

April 36.0° C 23.0° C 4.57 cm

May 34.0° C 24.0° C 15.24 cm

June 32.0° C 24.0° C 13.46 cm

July 32.0° C 24.0° C 16.76 cm

August 31.0° C 24.0° C 22.61 cm

September 31.0° C 23.0° C 25.15 cm

October 31.0° C 22.0° C 13.21 cm

November 29.0° C 19.0° C 4.32 cm

Thanks for that, PB. Is that for any one particular year, or an average of many years?

One of the news services showed a 'monsoon map' which indicated it is just now coming into Southern India and Thailand and we get it a bit later.

It has been my experience that we get the usual 'April showers', then the more dramatic pulse that is out ahead of the actual monsoon front in early May, then monsoon blesses us with that cooling cloud cover pretty much steadily beginning about the 3rd or 4th week of June.

It is my prognostication that we will get a bit dry again, but for the occasional localized thunderstorm, for the next month, give or take...