Northeast monsoon to bring more rain to South

Floodwater is still high in Bang Saphan district of Prachuap Khiri Khan on Tuesday ( Photo by Patipat Janthong)

A strong northeast monsoon forecast for Jan 16-18 will cause the temperatures in the North and Northeast to drop and bring more rain to the South's eastern coast from Surat Thani province downward, Meteorological Department director-general Wanchai Sak-udomchai said on Wednesday.

Mr Wanchai said, however, that the rain would not be as heavy as in the first half of the month.

Heavy flooding which has hit the South was caused by a low pressure which moved up from Malaysia to the upper Andaman Sea, resulting in heavy rain from Narathiwat to Prachuap Khiri Khan provinces. This low-pressure wedge has now entered Myanmar.

Since floodwater in Phatthalung and parts of Nakhon Si Thammarat and Surat Thani has not yet been completely drained out, the coming rain could prolong the floods.

If augmented by high sea tides, flooding in areas around the Songkhla Lake could continue to prevail.

Mr Wanchai said rain in the South would gradually ease from late this month to the middle of February.

As for Bangkok, there will be no more rain from today and there are no foreseeable factors that can bring rain to cause more flooding in the near future.

The next rainy season is expected to arrive in the middle of May, he said.