Not that it feels like it at the moment.
The current heatwave affecting Thailand is nearing an end, according to the Thai Meteorological Department. The Met says the rainy season will officially arrive in mid-May – no doubt welcome news for many struggling in the current sweltering conditions.
The Bangkok Post reports that Thanasit Iam-ananchai, the Met’s deputy director-general, says the heatwave peaked on April 15, with a record high of 44.6°C reported in the northern province of Tak.
Thanasit says his department issued a warning of dangerously high temperatures in some parts of the country over the weekend, with the mercury going above 54°C in the Bangkok district of Bang Na, as well as in Phuket and the Sattahip district of Chon Buri.
The reason for these areas experiencing higher heat indices is due to their location by the sea, which brings higher levels of humidity, according to Thanasit. He says with Bang Na being only 20 kilometres from the coast, the area experiences high humidity brought in by the wind. This, coupled with a high air temperature, leads to a higher heat index.
According to Thanasit, the heat index is what a temperature feels like for the human body, when relative humidity is combined with the air temperature. If the temperature goes above 40°C, the heat index can reach 45°C or more, which can lead to people suffering heat stroke or fainting.
The Met is forecasting this situation for parts of upper Thailand on April 28 – 29, where very hot weather will combine with a blanket of smog. Meanwhile, southerly and southeasterly winds will pass across the lower northeast, as well as the lower central and eastern regions, with thundershowers and gusty winds forecast for upper Thailand.
More hot weather and haze is predicted for Bangkok and the central provinces, with maximum temperatures ranging from 34 – 40°C.
Meanwhile, the weather will remain hot this week, with temperatures of 32 – 38°C for tomorrow and Wednesday.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
