According to meteorological experts, this year's winter weather in the North has been erratic, hot on some days and cold the other days.

In February, the temperature sometimes reached 29-30oC and it was as hot as summer. But an unexpected cold spell occurred in late February, when the temperature dropped to 13oC and lasted 7-8 days.

At that time, Nguyen Van Huong, Head of Weather Forecasting Department under the National Center for Hydrometeorological Forecasting, said that this was not the longest period in recent years in the north and north central provinces, but the duration of 7-8 days was abnormal.

At the same time, in the South, widespread hot weather has persisted. There has been little rain compared to recent years, leading to more severe saltwater intrusion than in 2023.

Experts believe that climate change and El Nino have caused abnormal weather conditions.

Hoang Phuc Lam, deputy director of the National Center for Hydrometeorological Forecasting, said that since February, three hot spells have occurred in the southeast. Heat waves were also seen in some places in the northwest and northern part of the central region.

The highest temperature in the day were 35-36oC, while the figure up to 37oC in some localities.

While sudden changes in temperature occur during heat waves, abnormal phenomena were seen during cold spells. From January to March 12, seven cold spells occurred, including three extremely cold spells.

Meanwhile, February witnessed many days of light rain, drizzle and fog in the northeast and north central Central regions.

Lam said El Nino will get weaker gradually in the months from April to June with the probability rate of 75-80 percent.

During this time, cold air will be weaker in intensity. In the second half of March, severe cold will only occur in some places in northern mountainous areas

Regarding hot spells in the summer, Lam said heat waves have already come early in the northwest of northern and central regions.

A drought is predicted to continue in the Central Highlands and the south in April, and drought will also exist in the central region from April to June.

In July-September, ENSO is predicted to change into La Nina with the probability rate of 55-65 percent. This will be the period of typhoons and tropical low pressure with 4-6 attacks predicted in the East Sea, with and 1-2 of them affecting the mainland.

Bao Anh