Vietnam records hottest October in history

Vietnam's average temperature in October was 26.3 degrees Celsius, 1.74 degrees above the long-term average and the highest since records came to be maintained in 1961.

According to a report Monday by the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, the northern region recorded 2-3 degrees higher than normal. Some areas in the south experienced smaller increases of around 0.5-1 degree while the rest were the same as of previous years.

A total of 61 meteorological stations out of 215 recorded temperatures that matched or exceeded historical highs.

The monthly average temperatures at 98 stations reached or surpassed previous records, including 87 in the north.

Foreign tourists are seen in in Hanoi, October 2026. Photo by VnExpress/Hoang Giang

Under its influence, temperatures nationwide in November are forecast to be 1-2 degrees Celsius above the long-term average.

In December 2026 and January 2027, the increases are expected to range from 0.5-1.5 degrees, with the Central Highlands and the south seeing temperatures 1-2 degrees higher.

The meteorological agency warned that the number of storms and tropical depressions forming over the East Sea, known internationally as the South China Sea, and making landfall in Vietnam between November 2026 and January 2027 could be fewer than average.

"An average of 2.8 storms and tropical depressions typically form over the sea during this period, with 1.1 making landfall."

Cold air masses are expected to be weaker than usual. Severe and prolonged cold spells are likely to arrive later than normal, with fewer cold days than the long-term average in the north and north-central regions.

However, intense cold spells are still likely, bringing sharp temperature drops, albeit brief.

The weather office said many areas could receive less rain than the long-term average even during the peak rainy season.

In response to the risk of unusual natural disasters associated with El Nino, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung issued Directive 39 on Oct. 30 to instruct ministries and local authorities to proactively implement preventive measures and warn them against being caught off guard.

Local authorities were asked to review water supply and disaster response scenarios, identify areas at risk of water shortages, and prepare contingency plans, prioritizing supply to households, healthcare facilities, and other essential consumers.

The PM also called for adjustments to planting schedules, crop structures, and cultivated areas based on the water available, speeding up construction of irrigation and clean water infrastructure, adopting measures to control saltwater intrusion, and preparing for preventing and fighting forest fires.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment is tasked with improving meteorological, hydrological, water resource, and disaster forecasting and warning capabilities from mere warnings about weather events to alerts about their potential impacts.

The Ministry of National Defense and Ministry of Public Security are required to have personnel and equipment standing by to assist local authorities with water supply, fighting forest fires, evacuations, and search-and-rescue operations.