43 degress expected this year

[izzix]

WEATHER
Country braces for 43-degree scorcher

By: Apinya Wipatayotin
Published: 30/01/2009 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News

This summer will be slightly hotter than last year with a high of 43 degrees Celsius forecast in some northern and northeastern provinces in April, the Meteorological Department says.

The impact of the La Nina weather phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean will also increase rainfall in the country, department chief Somchai Baimoung said yesterday.

The impact of La Nina will last until the middle of this year.

Mr Somchai played down fears that Thailand might suffer a heatwave similar to the one that has ravaged Australia where at least two people have died from the scorching weather.

The mercury reached 45.6 degrees in Adelaide, South Australia, on Wednesday, the hottest temperature recorded there in 70 years.

"Don't panic," he said. "There is a very low possibility that a heat wave will happen in Thailand."

According to the department's 30-year statistics, Thailand's hottest day was recorded on April 25, 2007, when the temperature hit 44 degrees in Tak province.

Thailand will enter summer in the middle of next month. There are 39 provinces in the North and Northeast likely to face extreme weather conditions of up to 43 degrees. They include Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Lampang, Lamphun, Sukhothai, Tak, Udon Thani and Sakhon Nakhon.

Temperatures in Bangkok and neighbouring provinces are expected to range between 37 and 39 degrees this summer.

The country should also prepare for tropical storms in March and April, the department said.

Chulalongkorn University's lecturer Anond Snidwongs, director of climate research agency Start, said Thailand's average temperature tended to rise each year.

"According to our study, the average temperature in Mae Hong Son will be up between 0.6 to 1 degree Celsius," he said.

The agency has worked with the United Nations Development Programme to forecast social and economic impacts of climate change and create adaptation plans.

Meanwhile, the Rockefeller Foundation has pledged financial support to Thailand to develop a strategy on climate change resilience in major cities.

Thailand has been selected as the fourth country after India, Vietnam, and Indonesia to join the foundation's Climate Change Resilience Network which aims to help urban communities cope with climate change.

The network was established following scientific predictions that people in major cities in Asia would be severely affected by global warming and climate change.

Under the five-year climate change resilience project, which will end in 2012, the foundation would grant US$70 million (2.4 billion baht) to selected cities to develop guidelines to protect urban populations from the lethal impacts of climate change.

[Khun Paul]

Well for one I can say that last year we breached that temperature on more than one day, but then where I live it is hotter than Udon town by about 1-3 degrees, but then it is colder then the town by the same amount we wait with bated breath and a very large iced drink.

[Goldcoaster au]

Residents in Melbourne Australia and regional Victoria are experiencing further disruptions to power supplies, as the state faces another week of extreme heat.

Melbourne has experienced three days over 43 degrees Celsius this week, with the CBD reaching 44.2C at 2:30pm AEDT on Friday.

looks like our weathers comming ur way.

[kakariki]

Yes and it wasn't much fun down here, the old air-con was struggling a bit after the second day, and work was unbearable at 55* in our factory.

[beer monkey]

yes i see the fires on the news.

[Aardvark]

Two years ago we visited Udon in June and it was consistently between 40 and 43 on an almost daily basis, so I dont see it has changed much. Today in Perth 36c with thunder storms and tomorrow 38c with more storms. Very uncomfortable

[Pakawala]

Aardvark, that IS quite a change from several years ago. I can recall, when doing some research on visiting Perth waaay back in 1966, they used to advertise themselves as having the weather that San Diego, CA, THINKS they have. With 36C and 38C currently, that puts Perth far hotter than San Diego.

[jepp]

Character of WET SEASON Udon Thani? I haven't been Thailand/Udon Thani during WET SEASON. Does this consist of short heavy tropical storms (like say 4pm every day) or non-stop rain?? In other words can you still get around in between storms? Is flooding a problem in Udon Thani? Or is it just so hot that you stay inside aircond. anyway? Is it an area where one should take MALARIA prevention? Thanks, Rgds Geoff

[Aardvark]

Its not the temperatures that are different now Pak, but the humidity we are not used to living on the edge of a Desert. By the way, were you a member of the U.S. 7th Fleet who invade our shores 2 or 3 times a year to debauch our Women and drink all of our ice cold Beer or just a Tourist ??

[arjay]

Geoff/Jepp, - Some short sharp thunderstorms and some more prolonged softer rain.

Flooding not normally a problem, other than the odd localised flash flood or blocked drain.

Malaria not an issue, - no malarial medication required.

[BobHelm]

Geoff. No consistency in the wet season in Udon - like everything else.
It can rain all day (but not very often), can have 1 hour downpours (some days), might not have rain for a week. Localised flooding happens - especially after a couple of hours downpour. They have invested quite heavily in improving the drainage system in Udon &, for the most part, it works pretty well. Certainly the humidity is an issue & aircon is nice and it is probably not the best idea to go for a couple of kilometres walk in the middle of the day. But usually possible to get around without too many problems as long as you sometimes do not mind waiting the rain out.
Don't know anyone who takes Malaria protection in Udon & have not heard of a case. Think that is more of an issue if you are going to spend some time on the borders of Thailand in North or East than in & about Udon.

[JimboPSM]

I don't know of any Malaria cases in Udon in recent times but I do know of one Dengue Fever case and there has been at least one other that has been reported on this forum.

An earlier thread covering Malaria and other health matters:

• http://www.udonmap.com/udonthaniforum/m ... 10383.html

[Galee]

it is probably not the best idea to go for a couple of kilometres walk in the middle of the day.

So you don't play golf then Bob?
Must admit golf in the hot season is hard work. Need to take on loads of fluids. Trying to peel off a saturated T-shirt afterwards can sometimes be a problem.

[izzix]

up north by the river it can rain for days non stop ! then its best to hop on a plane down south to escape .

[quinault11]

Since the geography fact of Udon is U shape. Then in this coming summer, the whole city is becoming a natural polar cooking structure.

[Aardvark]

What exactly is a "natural polar cooking structure" anyway

[Pakawala]

I think it must be a BBQ built outside your igloo

[mortiboy]

Any one online look up at the moon.....its red! Must be damn hot!

[747man]

Any one online look up at the moon.....its red! Must be damn hot!

nah !! It's ALL the Shi* in between Planet Earth & The Moon......Sandstorms in Tea Towel ( Raghead ) Land & Smoke from Thai Farmers burning the land etc.etc.etc.

[mortiboy]

Thank God for that!........I thought I was p1ssed