Bangkok Weather

Bangkok has interesting weather ... at least for a Canadian exPat. I needed some 'mytime' today and went out for a walk about 10 am. It was very quiet ... this being the first day after Songkran. I stopped at the local CoffeeBean and had a latte and blue berry muffin (warmed up of course). I read the 2 local newspapers (the English ones) and most of the news was on the traffic carnage over the Songkran holiday.

After my brief  respite I headed off to Hustlers Pool Hall to practice my pool. It went quite well and I was feeling pretty good about myself so I went for a walk down to Nana (naughty bar area) and then crossed the street and came up the odd numbered sois (streets) back to Terminal 21 and then down soi 22 to home. That is about a 5 km walk and I was hot and sweaty when I got home.

I asked Thavorn about the weather and she said April was always the hottest month in Thailand. That did not make much sense to me so I did some research on Bangkok weather on the net and found out that indeed, Thavorn knows what she is talking about.

Here is what I found out.

Bangkok has a tropical monsoon climate and the highest average temperature of any city in the world. Temperatures in Bangkok regularly stay well above 30°C throughout the year. The humidity levels also remain high during this period and you can expect short spells of rainy weather, with frequent afternoon showers, monsoons and spells of thunder at times. 

The climate of Bangkok can be divided into two key parts, wet and dry.

Spring
The climate in Bangkok is at its hottest from March to August with a very high humidity.

Summer
In Bangkok, the rainy season starts in May and lasts till September, but really picks up in June. Rain can sometimes come as a welcome release from the temperatures that stand in the high 20’s. The rain normally falls in the afternoon but there are infrequent days when the city will be washed with rain for the whole day. Bangkok lies only 6 ft. above sea level, so when there are prolonged periods of rain this can lead sometimes lead to flooding.

Autumn
Although the temperatures barely vary from month to month, experienced tourists believe October through until February is probably the best time to travel Bangkok. During this time, temperatures are not as high, standing between 25°C and 28°C.  Occasional showers and gentle winds can provide a break from the heat. 

Winter
November to February is the driest time in Bangkok, and therefore a popular time to travel Bangkok. This combined with high humidity means that it can be somewhat uncomfortable at times. If visiting during this period be sure to pack a lot of light, cotton clothing to deal with the hot and sticky conditions. During this time, weather will show extreme temperature and often it climbs to the mid 30’s.

TTYL