Laos Climate – July 2026 Update
Top 5 Cities: Vientiane, Savannakhet, Pakse, Luang Prabang, and Thakhek
Summary
While global temperatures surged toward near-record highs, Laos experienced a comparatively tempered July with widespread monsoon rains bringing localized flash flooding to northern and central provinces. Though single-month heat was suppressed, the three-month season remained well above historical averages, reflecting broader regional warming. Heavy rainfall risks are forecast to linger across the country over the coming months.
This month in numbers
In July 2026, Laos recorded an average temperature of 24.89°C, sitting 0.4°C above the 1961-1990 baseline to rank 25th warmest on record. However, the May to July period told a warmer story, averaging 25.76°C with a 1.1°C anomaly to rank as the 9th warmest season on record. On the global stage, land temperatures for the month ranked 3rd warmest on record, while the three-month window ending in July ranked 2nd warmest.
What changed
In stark contrast to intense heatwaves across Europe and North Africa, Laos ranked 225th out of 232 regions globally for its single-month anomaly, placing it among the bottom 10 smallest deviations worldwide. Nevertheless, long-term warming trends remain clear, with Laos warming by 1.22°C above baseline overall, following its record-breaking warmest year in 2024 and its 16th warmest year in 2025 at 23.18°C.
What’s driving change?
The tempered monthly temperatures were largely driven by , as active low-pressure troughs and southwest winds pushed rain clouds across the region, easing surface heat while triggering localized flash flooding in provinces like Phongsaly and Khammouane. Over longer timescales, rising background heat reflects how waters, while evolving ENSO conditions continue to alter regional rainfall patterns.
Looking ahead
With monsoon activity remaining active through late summer, fluctuating rainfall and shifting tropical ocean signals are expected to maintain localized flood and landslide risks across vulnerable provinces over the coming months.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
At a Glance
Temperature – Average
Climate Map – Global
Source: NOAA Climate at a Glance (countries & continents) · Met Office (UK) · US states & climate regions. Anomalies are vs the 1961–1990 baseline. See methodology.
Typical Climate – Laos
Köppen Aw · TropicalLaos has a tropical climate (Köppen Aw: Tropical savanna (dry winter)), with both a warm/cold cycle and a wet/dry cycle through the year. May is typically the warmest month, averaging 26.2°C, while January is the coldest at 19.3°C. Annual precipitation averages around 1919mm, concentrated mostly in the wet season.
Monthly climate normals (2016–2025) - bar colour and height show average temperature, the shaded area shows average monthly precipitation.
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Long-Term Trends
Combined Timeline – Laos
Right axis: everything else standardized to standard deviations (σ) from its own average, since mm/hours/days aren't directly comparable to °C or to each other.
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Heatwave Days – Laos
Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - the WMO/ETCCDI heatwave measure: days in a 6+ day run above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that time of year.
Data: World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal (ERA5-derived). Refreshed roughly 1-2x/year, ~7-8 months behind present.
Year-on-Year Trends
The 4byo Climate Helix – Laos
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Monthly Temperature – Laos
Background lines show the last 40 years (plus the record year and its opposite, wherever they fall).
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Records – Laos
Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP) - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Warm/cold + wet/dryKöppen Aw · TropicalLaos has both a clear warm/cold cycle (±3.1°C) and a wet/dry cycle (20× wet:dry ratio). Both sides of the annual rhythm are shown below.
Monthly precipitation climatology. A “wet month” exceeds the baseline monthly mean (dashed gold line). Biggest month-to-month shift: Jul (+33 mm, +9%).
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Emissions & Energy
Explore
Explore Climate Data
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.
Country-level temperature anomaly, sourced from Copernicus ERA5 and Hadley HadCRUT5.
Annual country and global CO₂ emissions, from the Global Carbon Project.
Monthly rainfall - Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (DWD) preferred, World Bank CCKP/CRU TS fallback where GPCC lacks direct coverage.
Frost Days and Heatwave Days (Warm Spell Duration Index), ERA5-derived. World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal.
Monthly snow water-equivalent, Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (DWD).
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 headline panel also shows the long-term trend rate per decade and the warmest and coolest years on file.
What is the climate like in Laos?
Laos has a tropical climate (Köppen Aw: Tropical savanna (dry winter)), with both a warm/cold cycle and a wet/dry cycle through the year. May is typically the warmest month, averaging 26.2°C, while January is the coldest at 19.3°C. Annual precipitation averages around 1919mm, concentrated mostly in the wet season.
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.
What counts as a Heatwave Day on the Laos climate page?
Heatwave Days use the Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - the WMO/ETCCDI-standard heatwave measure: days that are part of a run of 6 or more consecutive days above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that calendar day. The 90th-percentile threshold varies by time of year (a hot day in January is judged differently to one in July) but is fixed to the 1961-1990 baseline for every year shown - it does not shift as the climate warms, which is why Heatwave Days trend upward over time.
Does the Laos climate page include frost and snow data?
Yes. Frost Days (days with a minimum temperature below 0°C, World Bank CCKP) and snow water-equivalent (GPCC) are shown alongside temperature and precipitation, each measured against the 1961-1990 baseline where a like-for-like historical comparison is available.