Tran Van Hung, deputy director of the Southern Regional Hydrometeorological Centre, said HCM City and neighbouring southeastern provinces experienced their first heatwave during the Lunar New Year holiday, with temperatures ranging from 35 to 36.5 degrees Celsius.
Bien Hoa in Dong Nai recorded more than 37 degrees Celsius, while Tay Ninh reached 37.5 degrees Celsius, exceeding historical February averages. In HCM City, temperatures peaked at 36 degrees Celsius.
Hung said the heat was driven by a subtropical high-pressure system, bringing clear skies, strong sunshine and low humidity typical of the dry season.
Recent readings have surpassed the long-term February average, with some monitoring stations approaching four-decade highs. Central wards are typically 2-4 degrees Celsius hotter than outlying areas due to the urban heat island effect.
Forecasters expect conditions to ease in late February as the subtropical high weakens, with unseasonal showers likely on February 26-27 across southern Vietnam.
From March, heatwaves are forecast to intensify and become more frequent, lasting five to seven days, with temperatures of 35-37 degrees Celsius and higher in some areas.
April is expected to mark the peak of the dry season, with extreme heat possible as ENSO shifts into a warmer phase, potentially pushing temperatures in HCM City to 38-39 degrees Celsius and making it feel 5-7 degrees Celsius hotter.
Experts warned that prolonged heat combined with low humidity could worsen drought conditions and heighten the risk of fires.
