An intensifying northeast monsoon will possibly plunge temperatures across northern Vietnam, with Hanoi expected to drop as low as 10 degrees Celsius on Friday night, according to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

The cold front, which began affecting north-central Vietnam early on Friday morning, has brought northeasterly winds at level 6-7 over the Gulf of Tonkin.

By 10:00 am the same day, Hanoi and other northern lowland provinces reported temperatures ranging from 15 to 16 degrees Celsius, while mountainous provinces such as Cao Bang, Lang Son, and Bac Kan fell to 13-14 degrees Celsius.

From Friday night, the cold air mass was anticipated to intensify, causing temperatures in northern Vietnam and the north-central province of Thanh Hoa to dip further.

Average daily temperatures in the plains could fall below 15 degrees Celsius, while mountainous regions will likely see even lower figures, averaging under 13 degrees Celsius.

The coldest areas, especially in mountainous locations, may see lows of 7-10 degrees Celsius, with some areas plunging below five degrees Celsius.

In Hanoi, residents may see lows of 10-13 degrees Celsius during this cold spell.

The national weather center added that the cold air combined with high-altitude easterly winds could bring heavy rainfall to parts of central Vietnam from Quang Tri Province to Khanh Hoa Province through Saturday night.

Total rainfall will range from 60 to 160mm, with some areas receiving over 300mm.

Intense downpours of over 100mm in six hours are possible in localized areas.

Precipitation will possibly persist in these regions on Sunday, reaching 20-50mm, with isolated areas exceeding 80mm.

Meanwhile, scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected in Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan, the Central Highlands, and the southern region, with localized heavy rain ranging from 10 to 30mm.

Hydrologist Phung Tien Dung from the national weather agency warned of possible flooding in the rivers from Thua Thien-Hue Province to Khanh Hoa Province in central Vietnam.

He emphasized a high risk of flooding in low-lying areas and flash floods and landslides in the mountainous localities from Thua Thien-Hue to Khanh Hoa.

The national weather agency reported that Vietnam's average temperature in 2023 was 24.5 degrees Celsius, surpassing the multi-year average by 1.09 degrees Celsius. This marks 2023 as the second hottest year on record, just behind 2019 when the average temperature reached 25.1 degrees Celsius.

In northern Vietnam, including Hanoi, the average temperature ranged from 18 to 24 degrees Celsius in 2023. January was the coldest month, with an average temperature of 17 degrees Celsius, while July was the hottest, averaging 29 degrees Celsius.

Last month, the average mercury in the northern region hovered around 19 and 23 degrees Celsius.

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