BANGKOK, THAILAND – Thailand faced a week of volatile weather between cool northern mornings and rising thunderstorm risk across much of the country from 18 to 22 February, according to the national weather agency.
Weakening high pressure, moisture inflow
The Thai Meteorological Department reported that on 18 February a high-pressure system with cool air over the North, Northeast and the South China Sea weakened, allowing more humid easterly and southeasterly winds to flow into the upper part of the country. This pattern supported isolated thunderstorms mainly in parts of the central region and the East, while the South was expected to see more showers as easterly to southeasterly winds prevailed over the Gulf of Thailand, the South and the Andaman Sea.
Convergence zone to fuel more storms
For 19–22 February, the agency forecast a convergence zone of southern to southwesterly winds over the North, with moist easterly and southeasterly winds persisting over the upper country. As a result, thunderstorms were expected to increase in the North, Northeast, Central and Eastern regions, with some areas likely to experience strong gusts, while overall rainfall in the South was set to decrease but with scattered thunderstorms remaining.
Cool to very cold in the North
In the North, mornings were forecast to be cool to cold from 18 to 22 February, and cold to very cold on higher mountains, with minimum temperatures between 6 and 15 degrees Celsius. At the same time, thunderstorms and isolated gusty winds were expected over 10–20 percent of the area. In the Northeast, conditions were set to remain cool with light early fog from 18 to 20 February, before 21 and 22 February brought thunderstorms with gusty winds to up to 20 percent of the mainly northern part of the region, with temperatures fluctuating between 18 and 37 degrees.
Heat and storms for central plains and East
Across the central region, the weather service expected thunderstorms over about 10 percent of the area from 18 to 20 February, mainly in the west, before storm coverage increased to 10–20 percent with local gusts on 21 and 22 February and maximum temperatures potentially reaching 38 degrees. In the East, thunderstorms were forecast over 10–30 percent of the region from 18 to 20 February, rising to 20–40 percent with local squalls on 21 and 22 February, while temperatures were set to range between 23 and 37 degrees and offshore waves were predicted below 1 meter, rising to about 1 meter in storm areas.
South faces frequent storms and higher waves
Along the eastern coast of the South, 30–40 percent of the area was expected to be affected by thunderstorms throughout the period. From Surat Thani northwards, southeasterly winds of 15–35 km/h and waves of 1–2 meters, rising above 2 meters in thunderstorms, were forecast, while south of Nakhon Si Thammarat easterly winds and waves around 2 meters were anticipated. On the western coast, thunderstorms were predicted over 30–40 percent of the region on 18–19 February, easing to 10–20 percent from 20 to 22 February, with easterly winds of 15–35 km/h and waves around 1 meter, increasing to 2 meters offshore and higher in thunderstorms during the entire period.
Bangkok outlook and safety advice
For Bangkok and surrounding provinces, thunderstorms were forecast over about 10 percent of the area from 18 to 20 February and 10–30 percent on 21 and 22 February, with minimum temperatures of 24–27 degrees, maximum temperatures up to 37 degrees and southeasterly winds of around 10–20 km/h. The weather agency urged residents in the upper country to look after their health amid the changeable conditions and to protect themselves from thunderstorms and gusty winds, and recommended that the agricultural sector in all affected regions take preventive measures to safeguard crops and livestock.
“The weather agency is calling on people in the upper part of the country to pay attention to their health due to the changeable weather and to protect themselves from thunderstorms and gusty winds, and it recommends that the agricultural sector in all affected regions take precautions to protect crops and livestock.”
said the Thai Meteorological Department, in its advisory.