Thai weather agency warns of flood risk through Oct 25

Thailand’s Meteorological Department warned on Sunday, Oct. 18, in a Bangkok Post news report that heavy to very heavy rain is expected nationwide through Oct. 25.

The warning matters for road, coastal and river transport because waves in the Andaman Sea and Gulf of Thailand could exceed 3 metres during thunderstorms, the report said.

The department said the South and East should expect persistent rainfall, including intense downpours in some places, from Sunday through Tuesday. After that, heavier rain is forecast for the lower Northeast, central Thailand, Bangkok and surrounding provinces, the East and upper South until Sunday.

The agency advised residents in exposed areas to monitor accumulated rainfall because it could lead to sudden flooding, overflowing waterways and landslides. It said the risk is higher in low-lying communities and near waterways below foothills. Drivers were advised to avoid flood-prone roads.

The weather pattern is initially being shaped by a monsoon trough, a low-pressure rain band, over the lower South and by the southwest monsoon over the lower Andaman Sea, the report said. The trough is expected to shift north over the central South as a high-pressure system from China expands over the upper North, upper Northeast and South China Sea.

The department also advised vessels to move cautiously and stay away from storm areas because sea conditions could worsen during thunderstorms.