JAKARTA - Northern and central Vietnam are preparing for a heavy heat wave this week. Temperatures in a number of areas are expected to reach 40 degrees Celsius, enough to make outdoor activities risky for health.
Launching The Straits Times from Viet Nam News, Wednesday, June 24, Vietnam's National Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting Center or NCHMF expects the heat wave to peak in the middle of the week.
In the northern region, the maximum temperature is expected to rise sharply to a range of 37 to 39 degrees Celsius. Some mountainous and urban areas have the potential to exceed 39 degrees Celsius.
The strongest heat in the north is expected to occur in Hung Yen, Ninh Binh, and Hanoi provinces.
The central region is facing more severe conditions. From June 22 to 25, this area is expected to experience heavy to very extreme heat.
The area from Thanh Hoa Province to Hue City is predicted to be the hottest zone in Vietnam. Daytime temperatures range from 38 to 40 degrees Celsius. In the mountainous areas of the central west, temperatures can exceed 40 degrees Celsius.
The extreme heat was triggered by a warm low-pressure system from the west that met a strong Foehn wind. The Foehn wind is a dry and hot wind that descends from the mountains, then pushes the temperature up faster.
After this week's heatwave, Vietnam's weather is expected to remain unstable until the end of July. Heavy heat waves are still likely to appear alternately throughout next month.
Deputy Head of the Climate Prediction Office of the NCHMF, Nguyen Duc Hoa, said Vietnam's average temperature in June was generally 0.5 to 1 degree Celsius above the long-term average. In some locations, the increase is higher.
According to Hoa, the northern and central regions are still at risk of being hit by heavy to very extreme heat until the end of the month.
Deputy Director of NCHMF Hoang Phuc Lam said the heat wave is expected to last from July to September. The number of hot days in the north, the Thanh Hoa-Hue area, and the south-central coast is expected to be more than the long-term average and the same period in 2025.
Heat in the northern region is expected to begin to subside in early September. The central region is likely to only receive a temperature drop in the second half of September.
Lam predicted that temperatures by the end of the year would remain 0.5 to 1.5 degrees Celsius above the long-term average.
The risk is not small. Vietnamese authorities warn that prolonged heat and low humidity can increase the risk of fires and explosions in settlements due to a surge in electricity use. The risk of forest fires also increases.
From a health perspective, exposure to heat for too long can trigger dehydration, heat exhaustion, and heatstroke. Heatstroke is an emergency condition when body temperature rises too high and the body fails to cool itself.
Health experts advise residents to avoid outdoor activities from 10.00 to 16.00, when the heat is usually most stinging.
Residents who must leave their homes are asked to wear protective clothing, hats, sunglasses, and masks to reduce direct exposure to sunlight.
Workers in hot environments are advised to drink at least 1.5 to 2 liters of water per day to prevent dehydration and electrolyte loss. Lack of fluids can interfere with blood circulation and trigger serious health disorders.
Experts also recommend that activities be carried out in a well-ventilated place. When using a fan, the airflow should not be directed directly to the body for too long.
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