This year’s cold season in Thailand is forecast to begin in early November, about two weeks later than usual, and is expected to end in late January, instead of late February, due to the effects of El Niño, said Somkuan Tonjan, director of Weather Forecast Division of Meteorological Department on Friday (today).

It is clear that the cold season this year will arrive two weeks late and will be relatively short.

Average low temperatures in the northern parts of Thailand will be 21-22^oC, which is 1.5^oC higher than the normal low temperature of about 19.92^oC and average low temperature of 20.8^oC recorded in previous years.

The coldest temperatures in this cold season are expected from around the end of December until end of January, with the lowest forecast at 9-10^oC in the highlands of the north.

Somkuan noted that weather conditions have fluctuated immensely, pointing out that not a single storm has hit Thailand directly since August and it remains unknown whether one will before the end of the year.

According to statistics on storms in the Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea, he said that, normally, there will be about 24 storms per year but, so far, only 16 have been reported.

Area specific forecasts for low temperatures during December and January are as follows:

• Chiang Rai, 10-12^oC
• Mae Hong Son, 13-15^oC
• Chiang Mai, 13-15^oC
• Phayao, 10-12^oC
• Lamphun, 12-14^oC