Bangkok sweltered in temperatures in the high 30s Sunday, but weather bureau officials warn that the capital has not yet experienced its hottest day of the year as predicted.
Photo by Seksan Rojjanametakul
The National Astronomical Research Institute said last week that the hottest day would in theory be Sunday when the sun was exactly above Bangkok and at its closest point at 12.16pm.
But Songkran Aksorn, the Meteorological Department’s deputy director-general, said the temperature at that time varied between 35 and 36 degrees Celsius and increased to 37-38 Celsius in late afternoon as the sky was very cloudy due to a high pressure system from China building over upper Thailand.
The department forecast that temperatures in the capital would rise to the highest peak early next month and would continue into mid-May.
Country-wide, the hottest period was also expected for that time with average temperatures being 38-39 Celsius. Mr Songkran noted that the mercury in April this year was not as high as in previous years because of the occasional high pressure system. The rainy season would arrive by the end of May, later than in past years.
Mae Hong Son was expected to be the province with the highest temperature in the country. The northern province experienced Thailand’s record high temperature of 44 Celsius in 2010. Kanchanaburi would be the hottest province in the Central region, Mr Songkran added.