How do we know it's the rainy season?

Created By RISC | 2 years ago

Last modified date : 2 years ago

Grab your umbrella! The Thai Meteorological Department has announced that we’ve now officially in the rainy season, which will last from 13 May to mid-October, except on the Southeast Coast, where it will end in January. But did you notice? ​

But what shows us that we’re in the rainy season? How do we know? ​

In general, 3 criteria are used: ​
1. Consistently heavy rains across most of the country​
2. Wind blowing from the southwest or the Andaman Sea for 1-2 weeks at an altitude of 3.5 km above the earth's surface, causing dampness in Thailand ​
3. Winds blowing from the northeast or northeastern region at an altitude of 5 km or more ​

You might be wondering why it seems to be raining more than usual this year. Thailand's rainfall from 1 January to 30 April was 352.0 mm, up from an average of 232.5 mm for the same period in the previous 30 years. Rainfall in 2022 will be 119.5 mm higher than average.​

Tracking weather data from the Thai Meteorological Department or water level data from relevant agencies such as the Royal Irrigation Department, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, the Hydro-Informatics Institute (HII) will allow us to keep a close eye on the situation and be ready for any emergency. ​

Story by Thanawat Jinjaruk, Senior Researcher, Environment Division, RISC

References: Thai Meteorological Department, Ministry of Digital Economy and Society​