Snow covers the floor on Fansipan viewing platform. — VNA/VNS Photos Hương Thu

LÀO CAI — Since Sunday afternoon, due to the cold air and temperatures dropping from 2 degrees Celsius to below zero, ice and snow have appeared at the top of high mountains in Lào Cai Province.

The Sun World Fansipan Legend Tourist Area Management Board said that, from 2.30pm on Sunday, at an altitude of more than 3,000m at the peak, heavy snowfall has created a picture postcard scene.

Snow also covers trees and grass on the top of Fansipan.

This is the first snowfall to appear on the Fansipan Mountain in the days before this Lunar New Year.

Currently, the temperature there is only about -2 degrees Celsius. As of 3.30pm the same day, the snow was still falling and showing no signs of melting.

The enchanting scenery makes many tourists extremely excited.

Y Tý Commune in Bát Xát District also saw snowfall and frost. But, local people said that the snow fell sporadically and melted as soon as it touched the ground due to light rain.

Frost covers branches in the North.

It is forecast that in the coming days, the weather in the North will continue to be immersed in a cold snap, so it is likely that tourists will experience a northwestern New Year holiday with impressive snowfall on the 'roof of Indochina' and some other high mountainous areas in Lào Cai Province.

Severe cold

According to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, from Sunday night until the end of the week, the northern and north central regions will see fog and severe cold.

Northern mountainous areas will be extremely cold and high mountainous zones will likely have frost with temperatures below 3 degrees Celsius in some places.

The central and south central regions will have heavy rain in some areas whereas the Central Highlands and the South will have sunny days.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development instructed that to proactively respond to severe cold, provinces and cities in the northern and north central regions need to closely monitor warning bulletins and forecasts.

Provinces and cities should review plans to respond to cold, provide guidance on ensuring people's health and warn them not to use traditional coal stoves in small rooms to avoid fires.

Localities should also instruct farmers to strengthen barns and keep warm, store food to prevent epidemics for livestock and poultry, and provide guidance to ensure rice, vegetable and other crops are not damaged. — VNS