The weather in Ho Chi Minh City and across Southern Vietnam is expected to be predominantly hot and sunny during the day, with the likelihood of scattered showers and thunderstorms in the late afternoon and evening, during the April 30 and May 1 holiday.
According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, HCMC will experience intense heat with daytime highs reaching around 35 degrees Celsius and average humidity levels hovering at 53 percent on April 28. At night, cloud cover will increase, temperatures will drop to about 26 degrees Celsius, humidity will rise to 94 percent, and winds will remain light.
Across the Southern provinces, daytime temperatures will typically range between 34 and 36 degrees Celsius, with localized showers and thunderstorms potentially developing during the late afternoon and evening hours.
HCMC will continue to endure daytime heat, with temperatures fluctuating between 33 and 35 degrees Celsius on April 30 and May 1. Scattered showers and thunderstorms could occur in the afternoon and evening. The entire Southern region is expected to experience a similar pattern: prolonged daytime heat followed by isolated showers, possibly accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds.
Meteorological experts attribute this heatwave during the holiday period to a high-pressure system currently active over the Truong Sa Islands (Spratly), which is expected to persist through May 1. This system is suppressing the development of thunderstorms and narrowing the area of rainfall across the Southern region, leading to a resurgence of hot, dry conditions.
As a result, southeasterly winds will replace the prevailing southwesterly winds, interacting with the northeasterly monsoon to create intense daytime heat while still allowing for the chance of localized thunderstorms later in the day.
Weather specialists have also noted that during the morning and evening of the commemorative ceremony marking the 50th anniversary of the National Reunification, conditions in HCMC should be relatively favorable, with a low chance of rain. While there could be some convective thunderstorms in the afternoon, they are expected to be localized and brief.
Forecasters further caution that between April 28 and May 1, coastal areas of Southern Vietnam may experience a tidal surge. Water levels at the Phu An and Nha Be stations are projected to peak between 1.4 and 1.45 meters, potentially causing localized flooding in low-lying areas during the early morning hours (around 4–6 a.m.) and again in the late afternoon to early evening (approximately 5–7 p.m.).
Some low-lying parts of Can Tho City and Vinh Long Province may also experience minor flooding, especially if high tides coincide with periods of rainfall.
Weather experts advise residents to limit outdoor activities during midday to avoid heat shock and remain vigilant for extreme weather events such as thunderstorms and tornado-like winds in the evening.
