Late on January 22, intensifying cold air pushed temperatures down to 9-10 degrees Celsius, with the chill sharpening towards midnight and gripping streets across the capital.
In narrow lanes and on sidewalks, small fires were lit for warmth, a familiar sight whenever Hanoi is hit by a severe cold spell.
At around 10 pm, under the Buoi flyover in Tay Ho Ward, mechanic Thanh Luyen and his colleagues gathered around a fire as they worked through the night, ready to respond to breakdowns across the city. “This is the coldest day of the winter so far. But we have to keep going because of the job,” Luyen said.
Despite the biting cold, some people strolled along Hoan Kiem Lake, while Long Bien wholesale market remained busy at midnight even as temperatures hovered around 10 degrees Celcius.
Early on January 23, with the temperature still at 9 degrees Celsius at 6.30 am, Hoan Kiem Lake was lively with residents out exercising, some dressing their dogs in warm coats.
By 7.30 am, the temperature had edged up to 11 degrees Celsius, but strong winds on Long Bien Bridge made commuting difficult.
People on the streets layered up with thermal clothing, scarves and thick gloves, doing their best to shield themselves from icy gusts.
The National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting said Hanoi would remain in a severe cold spell on Friday, with lows of 11-13 degrees Celsius and light rain in some areas.