Thailand will officially enter cold season this Thursday, with average temperatures ranging between 21 and 25oC, while minimum temperatures in Bangkok may drop to between 18 and 20oC, according to the Meteorological Department.
In the highlands, such as Doi Inthanon, Doi Ang Khan and Doi Pha Hom Pok in Chiang Mai or Phu Rua in Loei province, temperatures during December and January may drop to 8oC with the possibility of frost.
Factors used by the Meteorological Department to determine the onset of the cold season are:
· Low altitude northeasterly or easterly wind at between 100-3,500 metres, which is the cold wind from China over northern and northeastern Thailand, while the high-altitude wind at more than 5,000 metres westerly.
· The amount and the spread of rain is steadily dropping.
The department warned that people in northeastern, central and eastern provinces, including Bangkok may, however, see rain at the start of the cold season.
The department also warned of the return of the PM2.5 dust problem in central and eastern provinces during January and February and in the northern provinces during March and April.
