The coldest temperature in the North was -1 degree Celsius.

VnExpress•23/01/2024

This morning, the temperature in Mau Son (Lang Son) dropped to minus 1 degree Celsius, while Hanoi and the lowland provinces were mostly below 10 degrees Celsius, with light rain.

The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting recorded temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius this morning in most of northern Vietnam, with the lowest temperature recorded in Mau Son, where frost covered everything from an altitude of 1,000 meters to the summit of 1,520 meters. Tam Dao (Vinh Phuc) and Dong Van (Ha Giang) were 2 degrees Celsius; Sa Pa (Lao Cai) and Trung Khanh ( Cao Bang ) were 3 degrees Celsius; and Moc Chau (Son La) was 4 degrees Celsius.

Temperatures in the Red River Delta provinces are commonly 9-10 degrees Celsius. In Hanoi, the Ha Dong weather station recorded nearly 10 degrees, while Phu Lien ( Hai Phong ) recorded 8 degrees Celsius. These are temperatures measured inside a weather station sheltered by a roof; the actual outdoor temperature may be 2-3 degrees Celsius lower.

*Frost covers the Phia Oắc sandbank (Cao Bằng). Photo: Bế Quốc Vinh*

From early yesterday afternoon, frost began to appear on the summit of Phia Oac (Cao Bang), which is 1,913 meters high. By late afternoon, a thin layer of ice had also formed on the summit of Mau Son. The frost on these two mountain peaks continued to thicken last night when there was light rain and the temperature dropped below 0 degrees Celsius.

Today, it is highly likely that other high-altitude areas will experience frost.

According to the National Center for Meteorological and Hydrological Forecasting, the severe cold spell will last until January 25th, with temperatures in the Northern Delta reaching a low of 7-10 degrees Celsius, and below 0 degrees Celsius in high mountainous areas. The highest daytime temperature in Hanoi will only reach 15 degrees Celsius.

This is the second severe cold spell of the 2023-2024 winter season. The first, from December 17-27, 2023, saw Mau Son temperatures drop to -2.5 degrees Celsius, the lowest in the past 11 years.