Get your 20 baht 7-11 rain poncho ready for the next 2 days! Thailand is expecting heavy rain showers to cover most of the country through until Tuesday. This news comes after monsoonal troughs have already spread through Phuket and the Andaman coast. Now, winds and precipitation are expected to pick up in the northern, north-eastern, central and eastern regions of the country, as well as in the Bangkok area.
Thailand’s Meteorological Department says the wet weather is due to a high pressure cold front from China being compounded by the southwestern monsoon covering the Andaman Sea and Gulf of Thailand. It warns of possible flash flooding in vulnerable areas. The department has warned farmers that their crops might get damaged by flooding, and advises people not to stand under big trees. It also says people should avoid open fields due to thunderstorms and lightning.
In Phuket and the Andaman coast, the impact of storms can already be felt. Last week, a storm of fierce rain and wind caused several large trees to fall down and plunder 3 houses in Patong on Phuket’s west coast. No injuries were reported, however. A cyclone in the Bay of Bengal last weeks also brought additional moisture into southern Thailand.
Phuket’s wettest months are September and October. When it rains, it pours. The strong south westerly winds usually make the west-facing beaches unswimmable for the duration of the monsoon – many tourists drown off these coastlines each year so take the red flags and warnings from the lifeguards seriously.
Check out the video below to learn more about Thailand’s wet season…
SOURCE: Thai PBS World