Winter arrives on Oct 29, expected to be colder than last year

Thailand’s cool season will officially start next Tuesday (October 29) and will last until the end of February 2025, the Thai Meteorological Department said on Friday.

The announcement was based on the direction of winds prevailing over the country, that mark the change of seasons. 

According to the department, the cool season begins when northeasterly or easterly winds prevail at an altitude of 100 to 3,500 metres above sea level, while westerly winds prevail at an altitude of over 5,000 metres. 

The department forecast that this year’s cool season will be colder than the previous year, with the average lowest temperature in upper Thailand at 20-21 degrees Celsius (vs 21.6 last year).

Meanwhile, the average lowest temperatures in Bangkok will be at around 16-18 degrees Celsius, and 14-16 degrees in provinces surrounding the capital.

The coldest period will start from December to the end of January, with the lowest temperature of 6-8 degrees Celsius in the upper parts of the North and Northeast regions. Mountaintops could experience very cold weather with possible frosts.

The upper South will experience cold weather intermittently, but the whole region will continue to experience frequent rainfalls throughout the season, the department said, adding that waves in the Gulf could rise 2-3 metres high, and 1-2 metres high in the Andaman Sea. 

The department said that in November and December, there could be a strong low-pressure area or tropical cyclone moving close to the Gulf, bringing heavy to very heavy rains to several areas in the South, and causing the waves to rise to 3-5 metres high.

It advised people in the South to follow the weather announcements and warnings closely.