Bangkok set to be hit by massive rainstorms on Sep 19-20

[pilm]

Nothing yet here in South Nonthaburi. Weather channel online says some rain at 1pm, 5pm and 7pm. Clear at 8pm for the rest of the night.

[whiteman]

I am arriving at BKK on September 24. I was in a hurry to get to Thailand and didn't want to just sit around in the States for another week or two waiting. Oh well. The adventure begins. I have been in Thailand for the Tsunami (luckily on Ko Samet instead of our scheduled Phuket plans), one week after the Thaksin overthrow. I was there during the Airport sit in. I was there during the Bangkok riots the next year when they even had a curfew in pattaya for a few nights! This trip, I guess maybe I will have to dodge some natural things.

Well if you are like most that live here it is no big deal but to you holiday makers it is a once in a life time thrill.

[Always18]

"Deputy Bangkok governor Sanya Cheenimitr said dredging works have been carried out in major canals and sewers, and water pumps have been installed in preparation for the massive downpours."

If the rest of the remediation work undertaken on the klongs is anything like the one we live next to you had better start to prepare for flooding. Sure an excavator on a barge dredged the klong but did they take away the debris? No way! The excavator just piled it up on the banks and guess what? It all washed straight back into the klong with the next heavy rainstorm. I could walk across the klong now due to it being not much more than a drain filed with hyacinth and rubbish. No way it is going to remove a massive amount of water any time soon.

This is exactly the same mindset as the guys in our village who dredge the roadside drainage ditches but leave all the dredged-up muck alongside the ditches - to be washed back into the ditch with the first rainfall.

My wife explained that this method keeps the workers in regular employment.....................

[cloghead]

Thanks to those who have posted useful links.

As someone who was used to having fully interactive weather data at my fingertips when I lived in the States, I have not had much luck finding the same here in Thailand. I used to be able to view nearly-live radar loops of Bangkok from TMD, but it seems they shut the service to the public on May 31 of this year. If anyone has other informative weather links a weather junkie would find useful, please post!

www.wunderground.com/hurricane/western-pacific/2013/

www2.tmd.go.th/radar/

www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/TROP/TCPF

Edited September 19, 2013 by cloghead

[kuhske]

Some off-topic, troll posts have been deleted and replies. Please stay on topic. This is a developing story and can have an affect on a lot of people. Nonsensical remarks only act to clutter the topic and make it hard for people to find accurate information.

Just when I have given up on a display of manners on this forum, then I read this post of yours. Thank you, Scott, so very much for your work to maintain this forum to its usefulness among expats and locals living in Thailand. It's already stressful having to deal with the system & traffic jams without having to read discouraging remarks on this forum as I and many others search for doable solutions.

Edited September 19, 2013 by kuhske

[householder]

In my neck of the woods in Bangkok (South East of the city) there's no evidence of rainfall overnight, and while it is generally overcast there's none of the ominous dark stormclouds heralding thunderstorms that have appeared in recent days/weeks. So far...

[Just1Voice]

Blimey. Time to get the train to Chiang Mai.

Ahhhh, ya might want to give that a second thought, since all trains from BKK to CM have been closed down for next 3-4 WEEKS for repairs.

[55Jay]

Wind started kicking up late last night in Korat area, rain started this AM. Medium quantity, no torrential downpours where I'm at, nice and steady.

New 1500L rain collection tank in place a couple days ago, now about 1/4 full. Woo Hoo!

[canman]

The Surin weather radar should give you guys in Bangkok a good idea of whats on the way:

http://www2.tmd.go.th/radar/srnLoop.php

[canman]

This is one gives a better big picture of what is coming:

http://www2.tmd.go.th/radar/sattahip.php

Doesn't look too bad at the moment, will be interesting to see what's behind the first squalls

[MaxLee]

It's raining it's raining right now, the whole nighty!!!!!

[Scott]

A troll post has been removed.

I came back to Bangkok through Chachaengsao yesterday evening. It had rained most of the way, although not too heavily. Arrived in Bangkok with no rain, but this morning I woke up around 4:00 a.m. and it was raining quite heavily in the Minburi area. The Moo bahn isn't heavily flooded, but the water is beginning to accumulate.

I think being Friday and this wet, you can expect delays.

[MaxLee]

It was raining when I went to sleep, and so I woke up just now and it's still raining, sounds like it's gonna be an ugly Friday morning traffic for work,...

[householder]

Keep an eye on Super Typhoon Usagi - currently Cat 5 and may hit Hong Kong on Sunday - could have an impact next week too in Thailand...

http://www.tropicalstormrisk.com/tracker/dynamic/201317W.html

[retell]

Keep an eye on Super Typhoon Usagi - currently Cat 5 and may hit Hong Kong on Sunday - could have an impact next week too in Thailand...

http://www.tropicalstormrisk.com/tracker/dynamic/201317W.html

thanks for the link looks like north east get a nice TS

will do an extra check on the roof today inbetween rain , silicone the gaps

[mommysboy]

Central Bangkok. Light to moderate rain non stop for about 16 hours now, not the tempest that was feared, but never known this pattern of rain before. Bit like being back in Blitey.

[jpinx]

SE Samut Prakan - rain coming across in waves since midnight -- some very heavy. Soi's starting to get a bit soggy,,,

[metisdead]

This link might be useful to see what is coming and how heavy the rain is:

http://www2.tmd.go.th/radar/bma.html

The site updates about every 20 minutes.

[MikeOboe57]

I live near the Putthamonton area and operate a small weather station. Since midnight we have had 51 ltrs/sqm, still raining at an hourly rate of about 2 ltrs/sqm.

[Morakot]

[pilm]

Blimey. Time to get the train to Chiang Mai.

Ahhhh, ya might want to give that a second thought, since all trains from BKK to CM have been closed down for next 3-4 WEEKS for repairs.

Er, yes. That was the joke.

Rained all night here in South Nonthaburi. Nothing flooded at all. Still raining, still nothing flooded. It is constant medium level rain, not a torrential downpour that causes flooding.

So far.

[Morakot]

http://www2.tmd.go.th/radar/bma.php

Edited September 20, 2013 by Morakot

[MaxLee]

Ready for another stormy night of 8 hours plus nonstop rain 'till tomorrow...

[pilm]

http://www2.tmd.go.th/radar/bma.php

That map is simply awful.

[jellydog]

Almost nothing in Bangkok. Overcast and light rain. So far... much ado about nothing.

[retell]

here in north east l;ittle village named Bankok(sawang) pretty much rain bit nothing torrential

[jmccarty]

Light almost non stop sprinkle since end of day yesterday in East Pattaya and Sri Racha.

[ratcatcher]

Almost nothing in Bangkok. Overcast and light rain. So far... much ado about nothing.

Perhaps The Tempest in a teapot?

[MikeOboe57]

I live near the Putthamonton area and operate a small weather station. Since midnight we have had 51 ltrs/sqm, still raining at an hourly rate of about 2 ltrs/sqm.

After a total of 62 ltrs/sqm since midnight rain stopped at 14:00 and it stayed dry so far.

[55Jay]

Been pissing on us still outside Korat, not torrential, just steady, until now. Strong breeze now at 0010 hrs, no rain at the moment. Sattelite indicates blowing over, hoping for the next patch of white crap off China to come this way.

Went and bought a 2,000 litre tank this afteroon, sales lady came out with an umbrella as I looked around but shooed her way. 14 years in the Middle East, I love the rain, but maybe in a few years in Thailand, I'll get over that. For now, I love it, outside filling up big ongs, tubs, buckets and whatever, with fresh rain water. Maybe not in Bangkok, but up here it's like a free gift falling from the sky, beats the hell out of city water.

New tank will give me 4,500 litre rain water collected on full. Bring on the rains, inshallah.