Travellers visit Mẫu Sơn Mount to see frost covering the top of the mountain. — VNA/VNS Photo Hoàng Nam

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam's northern region is braced for a sudden temperature plunge as a chilling cold front is set to batter the area.

The cold front will blanket the northern provinces and the north central coast between January 20 and 21. Temperatures in the mountains could drop to below two degrees and even reach zero degrees Celsius in some places.

Sunday will feature strong wind gusts and high sea waves in the Gulf of Tonkin and the northern part of the East Sea, known internationally as the South China Sea. The gales could top out at levels six to seven on the Beaufort Scale and the waves could reach as high as 5m.

The strong wind patterns will extend further south, causing turbulent seas in the Southern Coastal Regions.

In Hà Nội City, temperatures will pick up slightly between January 18 to 20 and could hit 28 degrees Celsius. However, starting January 21, the city will see a cold snap accompanied by light rains, with temperatures swinging between 17 and 20 degrees Celsius.

Bitterly cold weather is in store for Hà Nội as temperatures are forecast to continue to fall going into next week. 

Climate change and natural disaster expert Nguyễn Ngọc Huy recommends travellers heading to the northern mountains between January 21 and 27 carry thick jackets and protective gear to keep warm as temperatures could fall to below six degrees Celsius at night.

There is a good chance of frost on the mountaintops and there may be snowfall. However, he also warns of the possibility of encountering hail.

For Hà Nội and other provinces in the Northern Delta, he forecasts that temperatures could plunge to 11 degrees Celsius at night.

The good news is that the cold front will ease up once it reaches Huế and Đà Nẵng cities. The wind will calm down as it goes south. The South Central Coast will feel slightly cooler than now, but not a deep freeze.    

In response to the abrupt temperature changes in the northern mountains and the Northern Provinces, he urges special attention to young children and the elderly, who are more vulnerable to harsh weather conditions.

He recommends people who get up early in the morning to do only light exercises, consume warm water with ginger and honey, and carry warm coats when going out to avoid catching a cold or even suffering a stroke.

For the northern mountains, he suggests livestock owners move their cattle down to the valleys and keep them in warm shelters between January 21 and 27. He also suggests fish farmers dig deeper spots for their fish to shelter from the cold.

The National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control urges local authorities to take measures to keep students safe when the chilling cold front makes its way across the country. 

The committee also urges people to not use honeycomb briquettes for heating indoors as using them in closed spaces could result in suffocation.

It also recommends farmers strengthen their barns, set up warm shelters, and stock up on animal feed to brace for the bitter cold front. — VNS