Laos Climate
Top 5 Cities: Vientiane, Savannakhet, Pakse, Luang Prabang, and Thakhek
This month in numbers
April 2026 saw Laos record an average temperature of 25.43°C, an anomaly of +0.9°C above the 1961–1990 baseline. This ranked as the 16th warmest April in 86 years of records. Globally, April 2026 was the 2nd warmest April for land temperature on record, with an anomaly of +1.1°C.
What changed
The three-month period from February to April 2026 saw an average temperature of 23.3°C, an anomaly of +0.8°C, ranking as the 23rd warmest such period on record. This follows a trend of warmer conditions, with 2025 being the warmest year on record for Laos, at 24.24°C. Laos is experiencing a long-term warming trend, with temperatures increasing by +1.28°C compared to the 1961–1990 baseline. The country is currently experiencing a drought that began in late January 2026, representing 100% of the drought events logged for Laos over the past 12 months, indicating an unusual concentration of this type of event. More information on active extreme weather events can be found at Extreme Weather tracker.
What’s driving change?
The warming trend in Laos is being influenced by several factors, including the broader , where tropical regions are already close to the limits of human heat tolerance. The ongoing drought, which has been active since late January 2026, is a significant concern, with authorities issuing extreme heat warnings throughout April, with temperatures reaching up to 43 degrees Celsius in some areas. This extreme heat has led to increased risks of fire hazards and health issues such as heatstroke. The effect is likely contributing to the intensity of these heatwaves, as dry soils are less able to cool themselves through evaporation. Additionally, a potential "Godzilla" or super El Niño is forecast to develop in the second half of 2026, threatening Southeast Asia with prolonged drought, extreme heat, and heightened wildfire risk, which could further exacerbate conditions in Laos.
Looking ahead
Expected El Niño conditions in 2026 will likely bring drought and heatwaves alongside heightened flood risk, with agricultural growth projected to slow due to climate pressures.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
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Data Sources
Data Sources for Laos
Every figure on this page is sourced from official, openly published climate datasets. Anomalies are calculated against the 1961–1990 baseline (temperature) and 1991–2020 (rainfall, sunshine, frost) - see the Methodology & Sources page for the complete dataset list and update calendar.
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in Laos changing?
Laos is warming in line with the rest of the world. The page above shows the latest monthly temperature anomaly versus the 1961-1990 baseline, the long-term annual trend, and the region's rank in the historical record. The trend rate is shown as °C per decade in the headline panel; you can also see the warmest and coolest years on file.
Where does the climate data for Laos come from?
Climate data for Laos comes from Our World in Data, sourcing Copernicus ERA5 and HadCRUT5 (national temperature anomaly) and the Global Carbon Project via Our World in Data (CO₂ emissions), refreshed every month, when the upstream temperature and rainfall data are refreshed.
What is the climate baseline used on this page?
Anomalies on this page are calculated against the 1961-1990 climatological baseline, which is the standard reference period used by the Met Office, NOAA, IPCC and most national climate services. Some panels also show the source-native 1901-2000 (NOAA) or 1991-2020 (WMO) baselines for verification. See Methodology & Sources for the full reference.
Which areas does the Laos climate data cover?
The Laos climate profile covers Vientiane, Savannakhet, Pakse, Luang Prabang and surrounding areas. Temperature, rainfall and emissions data for Laos
How often is the Laos climate update refreshed?
The Laos climate update is refreshed monthly, typically a few days after the previous month closes and the upstream provider (Met Office HadUK-Grid, NOAA Climate at a Glance, Copernicus ERA5 or the Global Carbon Project) publishes its update. See the Climate Rankings for cross-region comparisons.