HÀ NỘI — Meteorologists will now be able to predict storms five days in advance instead of the current three-day early prediction, said a representative of the Meteorological and Hydrological Forecasting Centre. 

An outstanding improvement in natural disaster prevention this year is early warning by five days, deputy head of the centre, Trần Hồng Thái, said at a press briefing in Hà Nội on Thursday.

Meteorologists will also be able to predict the development of a tropical low pressure three days in advance instead of one day, he said.

However, he admitted that the forecast about the severity of storms and level of rainfall was still limited. He said predicting these were difficult, even for developed countries with advanced technology, such as the United States, Japan and South Korea.

Việt Nam faces many challenges, particularly due to the lack of observation station networks, he said.

Regarding the number of storms predicted in Việt Nam in 2018, he said 12-13 typhoons and tropical depressions are expected to form in the East Sea this year. Five to six of them are predicted to have a direct impact on Việt Nam’s mainland, especially the central region.

The total amount of rainfall in the first half of the year is expected to be 15-30 per cent higher than previous years’ average in the northern, central and southern regions. A map zoning off key areas that are likely to be seriously affected by storms and flash floods in the northern and central regions is expected to be completed by the end of April to help localities in the region put in place timely measures for prevention and control. — VNS