Vietnam Climate
Top 5 Cities: Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong, Da Nang, and Can Tho
This month in numbers
Vietnam experienced an April 2026 average temperature of 25.32°C, an anomaly of +0.7°C above the 1961–1990 baseline, ranking it 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 saw 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
While Vietnam's April temperature ranked 23rd warmest, the country's three-month anomaly from February to April 2026 was +0.4°C, making it the 5th coolest globally for that period when compared to other regions, sitting at 230th out of 234 regions. This contrasts with the broader Asian group, which experienced a 3-month anomaly of +1.42°C. Vietnam has also been experiencing a drought event since late January 2026, which has lasted for three months and represents 100% of the drought events logged for Vietnam over the past 12 months, indicating an unusual concentration for the region.
What’s driving change?
The current climate pattern in Vietnam is influenced by a combination of factors. The ongoing drought, which began in late January 2026, has been a significant concern, with indicators suggesting mild to severe conditions. This prolonged dry spell is occurring as the region transitions from a neutral ENSO state towards an anticipated El Niño. While currently in a neutral phase, there is an 82% probability of El Niño developing between May and July, increasing to 98% by August to October. El Niño typically brings warmer and drier conditions to Maritime Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, often leading to severe drought and heatwaves. Early heatwaves have already affected northern and central Vietnam since March, with southern Vietnam enduring a prolonged heatwave since mid-February. This early onset of heat and reduced rainfall is consistent with the expected impacts of a developing El Niño.
Looking ahead
With a strong likelihood of El Niño developing and intensifying through the latter half of 2026, Vietnam can anticipate continued above-normal temperatures, prolonged dry spells, and widespread water shortages, with rainfall shortfalls potentially declining by 25-50% and the rainy season ending 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.