Vietnam Climate
Top 5 Cities: Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong, Da Nang, and Can Tho
This month in numbers
April 2026 saw Vietnam's average temperature reach 25.32°C, an anomaly of +0.7°C compared to the 1961–1990 baseline, ranking as the 23rd warmest April in 86 years of records. Globally, April 2026 was the 2nd warmest April on record for land temperatures, with an anomaly of +1.1°C. The three-month period from February to April 2026 recorded an average temperature of 22.74°C, an anomaly of +0.4°C, placing it as the 38th warmest such period on record.
What changed
Vietnam's recent warmth aligns with a broader trend, as the country experienced its warmest year on record in 2025, with an average temperature of 24.84°C. The long-term trend shows a warming of +1.16°C compared to the 1961–1990 baseline. This past month, Vietnam's temperature anomaly of +0.7°C placed it 204th out of 234 regions globally, indicating that while warmer than average, it was not among the most extreme warming experienced worldwide. The broader Asia group, to which Vietnam belongs, saw a 1-month anomaly of +1.77°C, meaning Vietnam was 1.07°C cooler than its group average.
What’s driving change?
The current climate patterns in Vietnam are being influenced by several factors, including the evolving ENSO state and the broader impact of global warming. The El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is currently in a Neutral phase, with a +0.11°C anomaly. However, there is a significant probability of an El Niño developing in the coming months, with a 61% chance for May-July and a 79% chance for June-August. El Niño typically brings warmer and drier conditions to Maritime Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, increasing the risk of severe drought and fires. Vietnam has already experienced an early and widespread heat surge, with temperatures exceeding 40°C in some areas, and the first heatwave in southern Vietnam began in mid-February, about 10 days earlier than usual. This early onset of heat, coupled with nationwide rainfall from January through mid-April being 10-40% below the multi-year average, signals an early onset of water stress. A drought event has been active in Vietnam from January 21 to May 8, 2026, representing 100% of the annual total for drought events in the past 12 months, an unusual concentration. More information on active extreme weather events can be found at Extreme Weather tracker.
Looking ahead
Forecasts suggest that average temperatures will remain above normal with more frequent and intense heatwaves than in 2025, and rainfall shortfalls are likely to persist through the 2026 dry season and worsen from late 2026 into early 2027, commonly declining by 25-50 per cent and causing the rainy season to end earlier than usual.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
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Data Sources
Data Sources for Vietnam
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 Vietnam changing?
Vietnam 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 Vietnam come from?
Climate data for Vietnam 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 Vietnam climate data cover?
The Vietnam climate profile covers Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong, Da Nang and surrounding areas. Temperature, rainfall and emissions data for Vietnam
How often is the Vietnam climate update refreshed?
The Vietnam 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.