April is spring in most of the North of Vietnam, dry and hot in the extreme Northwest of Vietnam, dry season in the Central Region of Vietnam (Central Coast and Central Highlands), dry and hot season in the South of Vietnam.
The foehn wind has strong effects with dry and hot air in the extreme Northwest, the western side of the Central Region (including the Central Highlands) and most of South Vietnam in April.
In April 2019, Vietnam had extreme weather conditions: unseasonal rains in the North and South Vietnam, heat strike across the country with record high temperatures of 43oC, rains with hailstones….
1/North Vietnam
The region had unusual northeasterly wind at the beginning of the month, heat strike from mid month and unusual short-lived torrential rains.
- The Northeast of Vietnam (Lang Son, Cao Bang, Ha Giang, Ba Be National Park…) had mixed weather: sun, clouds and torrential rains, 17-35oC. Dong Van Plateau were mostly sunny and cloudy, only some patchy rains on some days, 17-29oC.
- The eastern Northwest of Vietnam (Hoa Binh, Yen Bai, Lao Cai) had mostly sunny weather and some days with short-lived torrential rains. The temperatures were mostly 20-34oC. Lao Cai was affected by the heat strike for 10 days at mid month with temperatures 24-38oC. Sapa was mostly dry, cloudy and sunny, 11-21oC. There was a serious lack of water at Sapa that locals and hotels had to buy water transported to town by vehicle. Mu Cang Chai had mixed weather with rains, clouds and sun, 19-29oC.
- The extreme North West of Vietnam (Son La, Lai Chau and Dien Bien) had some patchy rains, sunny and hot from the second week till the end of the month, the temperatures were 19-30oC in the first week and 19-39oC most of the remainder of the month. Some days the mid day temperatures were surpassing 40-42oC. Moc Chau Plateau enjoyed mostly sunny and cloudy weather, some days with short-lived torrential rains, 17-29oC.
- The low lands in northern Vietnam (Halong Bay, Hai Phong, Hanoi, Thai Binh, Ninh Binh) were mostly mixed with cloudy and sunny days with some torrential rains. The temperatures were 23-34oC mostly, and 26-38oC for nearly 7 days of the third week during the heat strike. The averaged temperatures were higher than normal which should be around 25-28oC, dry and breezy air.
2/The North of the Central Region (Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh)
The region enjoyed fair weather in the first week and was strongly affected by the heat strike from the second week till the end of the month. The temperatures were 21-31oC in the first week and 28-38oC for most of the rest of the month. Record high temperatures recorded in the region was above 43oC (in Nghe An).
3/ The Central Coast of Vietnam (Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Hue, Da Nang, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Phu Yen, Binh Dinh, Khanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan)
- Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Hue had sunny days with nice weather in the first week, 24-34oC. From the second week till the end of the month the heat strike made the temperatures hot and dry always, 26-43oC.
- Da Nang, Hoi An and the provinces to the south of the Hai Van Pass enjoyed mostly dry, sunny and lovely days, 24-34oC mostly. The heat strike had limited effect in the region but did make the air hot for a few days in the second week and the third week of April, 27-38oC. Quang Ngai had a couple of days that the temperatures were above 40oC (in Ba To District).
4/ The Central Highlands of Vietnam (Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Lam Dong)
The Central Highlands enjoyed the first week with fair weather, dry and sunny and pleasant temperatures, 18-34oC. But there is serious lack of water for agriculture. In the second week and first half of the fourth week, the heat strike made mid day temperatures hot, especially to the west of the region, 21-37oC. For the last few days of the month, the weather turned into that of the rainy season: short-lived torrential rains in the afternoon every day. This certainly helps so much with the ongoing drought and the temperatures were pleasant again, 20-34oC.
Da Lat enjoyed sunny weather mostly, some cloudy days and some days with unseasonal torrential rains, 13-28oC.
5/The South of Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City, Tay Ninh, Vung Tau, Dong Nai, and the Mekong Delta)
April is the hottest time of the year in South Vietnam and it was just like that in 2019. The only difference was that it was much hotter and it was hot throughout the month. Also there were unseasonal daily short-lived rains which helped to bring down temperatures temporarily. From the second half of the last week, South Vietnam entered into rainy season, a bit earlier than normal.
- Saigon, Vung Tau and the Mekong Delta: 27-38oC in the mostly, 27-35oC with breezy air for the last few days of the month.
- The vicinity to the northwest of Ho Chi Minh City (Binh Phuoc, Binh Duong, Dong Nai, Tay Ninh): 26-39oC.
