Bangkok – Director-General of the Meteorological Department, Wanchai Sakudomchai, announced Monday that Thailand has officially entered the rainy season as the Kingdom has experienced continuous rainfall due to moisture from southwesterly winds in the Andaman Sea, as well as winds from the east.
This year, Thailand expects 1-2 tropical storms to move through the country, with a high chance of affecting the northern and northeastern regions from mid-August to September. In addition to rain, storms in the upper region can result in flash floods and overflowing rivers.
Rainfall from mid-June to mid-July is forecast to be scattered and irregular. This could lead to insufficient water for farms in many areas, especially those outside of irrigation zones. Farmers are therefore advised to conserve water supplies. The rainy season for upper Thailand is expected to last until mid-October, while the southern region will experience continuous rainfall until December.
Total rainfall this year is expected to be 5-10% below average, similar to levels experienced in 1985. June and July will be the driest months of the season, at 60-140 millimeters of rain. Dry spells lasting 1-2 weeks could damage smaller plantations. Farmers outside irrigation zones are advised to store water at this time. The wettest month will be September, at 300-600 millimeters of rain. The southwestern region will experience 5-10% above average rainfall.
Director-General Wanchai assured the public that rainfall this year won’t be as intense as in 2011, which resulted in severe flooding nationwide. Officials have released up to 80% of water stored from the previous rainy season to prepare for this year’s rainfall.
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