Specifically, various places across Ho Chi Minh City and neighboring provinces recorded rainfall of more than 100 mm during the night of February 12 and early morning of February 13.
The heavy unseasonal rainfall was due to the combination of a low-pressure trough and an operational tropical depression over the East Sea generating a widespread easterly wind disturbance that blows a lot of water vapor and moist air from the sea to the mainland.
In the next two days, unseasonal rains may continue saturating the Southern region, but their intensity is expected to gradually decrease.
According to the forecast model from the U.S. Global Forecast System, sunny and dry weather will return to Ho Chi Minh City from February 16.
According to the National Center for Hydrological and Meteorological Forecasting, on February 13, the tropical depression over the middle of the East Sea continued to move northwest at an hourly speed of five to ten kilometers.
By the afternoon of February 14, the eye of the tropical depression is expected to be offshore between Quang Ngai and Phu Yen provinces without signs of further strengthening.
The tropical depression is forecast to downgrade as approaching the mainland under the impact of a cold air mass. However, it will still generate gusty winds over the sea, with huge waves reaching to 3.5 meters in the middle of and the northern East Sea.
The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting also warned that the Northern region is about to experience several cloudy, overcast days along with drizzle, fog and humid conditions in the mornings and nights.
From February 14, the Northeastern region, some Northwestern provinces of Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Son La and Hoa Binh, as well as the North-Central region will experience scattered showers with chilling temperatures primarily at night and in the morning.
At that time, the Southern region will experience a cool climate with spells of unseasonal rain.
Heavy unseasonal rain flooded the Nguyen Van Linh-Nguyen Huu Tho underpass in District 7, Ho Chi Minh City on the early morning of February 13. The area was submerged under 30-50 centimeters of water, disrupting the traffic. By the afternoon of the same day, the flooding issue had been resolved.
According to Luong Minh Phuc, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City’s Management Board of Traffic Works Construction and Investment, the project investor of the Nguyen Van Linh - Nguyen Huu Tho interchange explained that the flooding at the underpass was due to trash blocking drainage systems, pumping stations and collection pipes preventing water from draining properly.
