Nineteen Degree Morning Surprises Ho Chi Minh City but History Shows It Can Get Much Colder

Ho Chi Minh City recorded a surprisingly cool 19°C on the morning of 28 November, marking the lowest temperature of the current cool season and an unusually early cold spell for southern Vietnam. Meteorologists expect the cold conditions to continue until at least 3 December, although temperatures may increase slightly as the current surge of cold air weakens.

Across the southern region, the lowest readings reached 16.6°C at Phuoc Long in Binh Phuoc and 17.5°C at Ta Lai in Dong Nai. In the Mekong Delta, the lowest values stayed above 20°C, with stations in Can Long and Cao Lanh both recording 20.7°C.

Meteorologist Le Thi Xuan Lan noted that temperatures of 19°C or 20°C do appear in Ho Chi Minh City but usually in late December. Experiencing this level of cold in November is rare. She explained that the city is seeing an early winter by about 1 month, and the number of consecutive cold days is also unusual.

Experts attribute the early chill to the current La Nina phase, which strengthens cold air surges from the north and pushes them deeper into southern Vietnam. Climate change is also increasing the unpredictability of seasonal weather. Since early November, 4 separate cold fronts have reached southern Vietnam, a pattern seldom observed.

Despite today’s cool temperatures, the current 19°C reading is far from the city’s coldest on record. In 1999, during a strong La Nina year, Ho Chi Minh City dropped to 14.6°C. The lowest temperature ever measured was 13°C in 1975. Some inland areas such as Phuoc Long often record temperatures 2 to 3 degrees lower than the southern regional average.

Meteorologists say the coming weeks may bring further cooling but are unlikely to break the historical records. Even so, the early cold spell highlights how shifting climate patterns are reshaping the weather of tropical cities across Southeast Asia.