Thunderstorms and heavy downpours are in the forecast in Ho Chi Minh City and its vicinity for the next ten days as convection clouds have formed over the southern metropolis, weather forecasters said on Monday.

Nonstop rains will bring the highest temperatures in Ho Chi Minh City down to under 33 degrees Celsius this week after a period of extreme heat, according the Hydrological Forecasting Station for the Southern Region.

Residents in southern provinces such as Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Tay Ninh, An Giang, Dong Thap, Long An, Tra Vinh and Ben Tre are told to brace for thunderstorms, whirlwinds and gales.

Heavy rains are also in the forecast in the northern and north-central regions of Vietnam from Monday morning to Tuesday evening due to the effects of continental cold high pressure advancing from the north.

A heatwave that began on Thursday in northern and central Vietnam reached its peak on Saturday and Sunday, raising temperatures to up to 41 degrees Celsius, the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting reported.

The heatwave has been exacerbated by high humidity and lack of wind, said Hoang Phuc Lam, deputy director of the weather center.

In Ho Chi Minh City, blistering heat has baked residents since the end of March, with some occasional rains to cool down the city over the past few weeks.

Temperatures remained above 35 degrees Celsius for most of April and early May, while real feel and heat on the surface of roads could be three to four degrees higher.

The extreme heat caused delivery services and sales of air-conditioners in the southern metropolis to flourish while sending residents’ power bills through the roof.

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