According to the Vietnam’s National Meteorological and Hydrological Forecasting Center, as of May 21st, a low-pressure trough with a northern latitude of approximately 25-28 degrees is being compressed and pushed southward by an intensified high-pressure system in the north.
The forecast indicates that due to the impact of the compressed low-pressure trough combined with wind convergence at the 1,500m altitude level, there will be scattered rain showers and thunderstorms in the northern region and Thanh Hoa from the night of May 22nd to 23rd. Some areas may experience heavy rainfall with amounts ranging from 20-40mm in 24 hours, and localized areas could exceed 60mm in 24 hours.
From the afternoon of May 23rd to 24th, there will be scattered rain showers and thunderstorms in the areas from Nghe An to Thua Thien Hue. The rainfall will be moderate to heavy, ranging from 10-30mm in 24 hours, with localized areas exceeding 50mm.
Additionally, due to the influence of the southwest monsoon, on the afternoon and evening of May 22nd, there will be scattered rain showers and thunderstorms in the Central Highlands, Southern Region, and southern part of the Central South region. The rainfall will be moderate to heavy, ranging from 10-30mm, with localized areas exceeding 50mm.
During the thunderstorms, there is a possibility of tornadoes, lightning, hail, and strong gusts of wind. Heavy rainfall locally may cause flooding in low-lying areas.
A delivery worker walks on a flooded street in Ho Chi Minh City, June 19, 2022. Photo: Chau Tuan / Tuoi Tre
Starting from around noon on May 21st, many districts and communes in Ho Chi Minh City experienced rain showers and thunderstorms, accompanied by strong gusts of wind and thunder. The heavy rainfall helped to cool down the weather, making it more pleasant. However, the large amount of rainfall (in some areas exceeding 50mm) caused significant flooding on several roads in the city.
Based on satellite cloud imagery, weather radar, and lightning detection from the Southern Regional Hydro-Meteorological Center, it is observed that thunderclouds are developing, causing rain showers and thunderstorms that may expand to neighboring areas.
The weather agency warns of lightning, hail, and strong gusts of wind at a level of 6-7 (11-17m/s) during the thunderstorms.
There have been reports from residents about strong winds causing objects inside homes to break. Specifically, around 2 PM on the same day, residents living in high-rise apartments in District 4 and District 7 were unable to close their windows in time, and the strong wind blew into their homes, causing large mirrors on the walls to shatter and other objects to fall and scatter inside.
The forecast from the Southern Regional Hydro-Meteorological Center for the next 48 hours and the following 10 days indicates that the hot low-pressure area in the western region will continue to compress southward and weaken.
“HCMC will experience thunderstorms accompanied by extreme weather phenomena such as storms, tornadoes, hail, and strong gusts of wind, posing dangers to people participating in outdoor activities or commuting. Additionally, precaution should be taken for the risk of heavy rainfall causing flooding on certain roads in the late afternoon,” stated the weather officials’ forecast at 3:30 PM on May 21st.
Previously, following a heavy rainstorm in the morning and afternoon of May 16th, at the Thuduc Market area, due to its high slope, the heavy rainwater carried soil and rocks, resulting in their accumulation in the area. Some areas experienced erosion and potholes on the road surface, posing dangers to road