October 2026 was the hottest October in Vietnam since records began in 1961, according to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, as reported by VnExpress International. The national average temperature was 26.3°C, which is 1.74°C above the long-term average.
Of 215 meteorological stations, 61 matched or exceeded their historical highs, and 98 reached or passed previous monthly average temperature records, 87 of them in the north. The north ran 2 to 3°C above normal, parts of the south about 0.5 to 1°C above, and the remaining areas were unchanged from previous years. The report does not give figures for central Vietnam or Da Nang.
The centre expects the warmth to continue. November temperatures are forecast to be 1 to 2°C above the long-term average nationwide. For December and January the increase is forecast at 0.5 to 1.5°C, with the Central Highlands and the south expected to be 1 to 2°C higher.
Forecasters also expect fewer storms and tropical depressions than average over the East Sea and Vietnam from November to January. The average for that period is 2.8 forming, with 1.1 making landfall.
Cold air masses are expected to be weaker than usual, with severe, prolonged cold spells arriving later than normal, although brief sharp cold snaps remain likely. Many areas may see less rain than the long-term average, even in the peak rainy season.
Prime Minister Le Minh Hung issued Directive 39 on 30 October in response to El Niño-related risks. It calls for water supply planning, adjusted crop schedules, control of saltwater intrusion and forest fire preparation.
Sources
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