Vietnam has a tropical monsoon climate, with humidity averaging 84 percent throughout the year. However, because of differences in latitude and the marked variety of topographical relief, the climate tends to vary considerably from place to place. During the winter or dry season, extending roughly from November to April, the monsoon winds usually blow from the northeast along the China coast and across the Gulf of Tonkin, picking up considerable moisture; consequently the winter season in most parts of the country is dry only by comparison with the rainy or summer season. During the southwesterly summer monsoon, occurring from May to October, the heated air of the Gobi Desert rises, far to the north, inducing moist air to flow inland from the sea and deposit heavy rainfall.

 

 

 

 

The low-land area along the coast in the Central Region of Vietnam is constantly hit by waves of heat in the summer which is made worse by the dry and hot monsoons from Laos. The temperature may reach up to 43-45 Degrees Celsius in the summer and there's always lack of water. Also, the region is the destination of the worst typhoons coming to Vietnam which cause disastrous floods and landslides during the summer months.

Annual rainfall is substantial in all regions and torrential in some, ranging from 120 centimeters to 300 centimeters. Nearly 90 percent of the precipitation occurs during the summer. The average annual temperature is generally higher in the plains than in the mountains and plateaus. Temperatures range from a low of 5°C in December and January, the coolest months, to more than 37°C in May-July, the hottest months. Seasonal divisions are more clearly marked in the northern half than in the southern half of the country, where, except in some of the highlands, seasonal temperatures vary only a few degrees, usually in the 21°C-28°C range.

In the North, a hot rainy season prevails from May through September. The average temperature in Ha Noi is about 33C during this period, with very high humidity. At times heavy summer rains cause some sections of the city to flood temporarily due to the lack of proper drainage.

From September through November, it's supposed to be Autumn in the North. But nowadays it could be anything from perfect nice, dry and breezy weather to stormy and monsoonal. The average temperature during this time is 25C-28C.

During the cooler, dry season in the North from December to March, the average temperature is 15C, with overnight minimums sometimes around 6-8C. Due to the lack of heating in most shops and offices during the dry season, it will feel considerably colder.

 

 

 

 

Like Sapa, Dong Van Rock Plateau of Ha Giang in the far-north of Vietnam with the elevation above 1,000 above sea level has a temperate climate. While Sapa's weather tends to be moist and cold, Dong Van of Ha Giang tends to be cool, dry and fresh.

 

 

 

 

Moc Chau Plateau of Son La Province in northern Vietnam has the average elevation of 1050m above sea level. Moc Chau has a temperate climate with temperatures ranging from 18-25 Degrees Celsius.

 

 

 

Da Lat with the elevation of 1475m, hidden deep in the Lang Biang Plateau, has a temperate climate and dubbed "The City of Eternal Spring".  The average temperature of Da Lat is 18-21 Degrees Celsius.

The threatening dark cloud ushering in the rain which would last mostly for less than an hour (Photo at Ben Tre Vietnam)

 

 

 

 

 

Rain at U Minh Thuong National Park - Kien Giang Province