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Climate in Laos


Average weather, temperature, rainfall, sunshine

Flag - Laos

Map - Laos

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The climate of Laos, a country of Indochina without access to the sea, is tropical in the lowlands and hilly areas, while it is subtropical in the far north and in the mountains.

Also, the climate of Laos is governed by the monsoons: the winter monsoon, which brings good weather from November to February, though a bit cool at night, and the summer monsoon, which brings rainfall and high humidity from May to the beginning or the middle of October. However, the monsoons are quite irregular: they do not always arrive in the same period, and they don't always have the same intensity.

In Laos, the amount of rainfall is normally between 1,200 and 2,200 millimeters (47 and 87 inches) per year in the plains, and can exceed 3,000 mm (118 in) on the most exposed mountain slopes. The rainiest months are usually August and September, which correspond to the final period of the monsoon, also because of typhoons (see below), which bring an additional amount of rain.

Mountains of Laos

Laos is a mountainous country, it is covered with forests and is home to several parks and protected areas. In general, the climate becomes milder with increasing altitude, but it also becomes more rainy, in fact, the first pre-monsoon showers are more frequent than in the plains, and there are definitely abundant rains in the monsoon period. At high altitudes, it can get cold even during the day in the winter months, especially in the north.
The highest peak in Laos is Phou Bia, 2,819 meters (9,249 feet) high.

The period from March to May, before the rains, is the hottest of the year, and it is still dry, but with some thunderstorms in the afternoon. April is the hottest month, with average highs about 35 °C (95 °F), but with peaks of 40/42 °C (104/108 °F) all over the country, at least at low altitude. In May, the temperature begins to decrease in the south, while in the north, where the monsoon arrives later, it's still very hot, especially in the first part.
The summer months are less hot, with highs around 30/32 °C (86/90 °F), but with higher humidity.

The climate in detail


  • The north - Xam Neua, Luang Prabang
  • The center - Vientiane
  • The south - Pakse
  • Typhoons
  • When to go
  • What to pack
  • Climate data

The north


During the winter, in the north, nights are cool even at low altitudes, and it can sometimes get cold. In January 2016, it even snowed in the northern provinces above 900 meters (2,600 feet).
Summer is, on the other hand, hot, muggy and rainy like in the rest of Laos, at least at low altitude.
In the far north, the amount of sunshine is not very good, in fact, the sky is quite often cloudy even in the dry season. In winter, there's often dull weather and there can be some drizzle.

Xam Neua

Climate chart - Xam Neua
In Xam Neua (or Samneua), in the north-east, at 970 meters (3,180 ft) above sea level, the average temperature ranges from 15 °C (59 °F) in January to 25 °C (77 °F) in June.
On average, 1,900 mm (75 in) of rain falls per year, of which more than 200 mm (8 in) from May to September.

Luang Prabang

Climate chart - Luang Prabang
In Luang Prabang (or Louangphabang), located in the north at 300 meters (1,000 feet) above sea level, in winter, from December to February, lows are around 14.5/15 °C (58/59 °F), but can sometimes drop to 10 °C (50 °F) or below. Fog often forms at night.
During the day, however, the temperatures are high, in fact, they are around 28 °C (82 °F) in December and January, while they reach 32 °C (89 °F) as early as in February. During the day, it can sometimes get hot even in winter.
Cold spells, in which the temperature remains low even during the day, are very rare, however, in January 2016, there were two days with a high of 9 °C (48 °F), while at night the minimum dropped to 5 °C (41 °F).
Before the monsoon, from March to May, the temperature can reach 40/42 °C (104/107.5 °F), but sometimes it can get very hot even in the monsoon period, when the weather is fine.
In Luang Prabang, 1,250 mm (49 in) of rain fall per year, so we are in one of the least rainy areas of Laos.
In Luang Prabang, winter is quite sunny, more than in the far north. However, sometimes there can be cloudy skies and some drizzle here as well. During the period of the summer monsoon, cloudiness prevails as in the rest of the country, although the sun can sometimes come out.

Luang Prabang

The center



In the center (see Vientiane, Savannakhet), the winter temperatures are slightly higher, and cold air outbreaks are less frequent and less intense.

Vientiane

Climate chart - Vientiane
In the capital, Vientiane, located at 175 meters (575 feet) above sea level on the banks of the Mekong, beyond which is Thailand, the winter is warm to hot, in fact, the average temperature in December and January is 23.3 °C (73.9 °F).
However, sometimes the night temperature can drop to 10/12 °C (50/54 °F) or even less. The coldest record is 6 °C (42.8 °F) and was set in December 1973, while in December 1999, the temperature dropped to 7 °C (44.5 °F). Generally, during the day the temperature exceeds 20 °C (68 °F) even in these cool periods, however, in January 2016, there were two days with a maximum of 15 °C (59 °F).
In Vientiane too, the hottest period is from March to May, before the monsoon, when the temperature can reach 40 °C (104 °F).
In Vientiane, 1,600 mm (63 in) of rain fall per year; the rains are abundant from May to September, while they are rare from November to March.
In the center, the sun frequently shines in the dry season, from November to April, while the wettest period, from June to September, is the cloudiest. Vientiane receives 2,355 hours of sunshine per year.

Vientiane

The south


Pakse

Climate chart - Pakse
Pakse is the second largest city in the country, and is located in the south, at an altitude of 100 metres (330 feet), also on the banks of the Mekong.
The winter is even warmer, actually, it's quite hot, in fact, highs are normally around 32 °C (90 °F) even in December and January. In coolest periods, the temperature only drops to 12/13 °C (53/55 °F) at night and 25 °C (77 °F) during the day.
The rains in Pakse are abundant, since they amount to 2,000 mm (80 in) per year; from June to September, they even exceed 300 mm (12 in) per month. However, here too, it rains very rarely from November to March.
In the dry period, the sun in Pakse shines even more often than in Vientiane and in the center of the country.

Typhoons



Laos can be reached by typhoons, the tropical cyclones of South-east Asia, which come from the South China Sea, and affect more directly the coast of Vietnam, though they can bring wind and heavy rainfall also in Laos. Typically, typhoons affect Laos from May 20 to December 15; the north is hit more often than the south.
More rarely, the north-west may be affected by the remains of cyclones coming from the Bay of Bengal, which may also pass from the second half of April onwards, as happened with Typhoon Nargis in early May 2008.
Tropical cyclones, as well as waves of bad weather brought by the monsoon, can cause flooding, for example the overflowing of the great river that runs through the country from north to south, the Mekong.

When to go



The best time to visit Laos is from November to February, since it is the coolest part of the dry season.
In November, however, typhoons or tropical storms may still affect the country, and sometimes even in the first half of December. In February, the temperature usually begins to rise and can exceed 35 °C (95 °F).

Consequently, the absolute best time is from mid-December to late January, though it can sometimes get hot even in January, but the humidity is not high and nights remain cool. It is worth while to recall that, in winter, it can get cold at night across the country, in fact, the minimum temperature can drop below 10 °C (50 °F), but especially in the north, where it can drop in some cases to as low as the freezing point.

In March and April, and also in May until the arrival of the monsoon, it's uncomfortably hot in the lowlands, while the heat it's more bearable in the mountains. However, the weather is still good, although there may be some showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon.

During the rainy season, from May to September, the heat is sweltering, at least in the lowlands; the sky is often cloudy, and torrential rainfall can sometimes make travelling difficult; in the brief periods of good weather, which last a few days, the heat returns to be intense.

What to pack



In winter: in the north (see Luang Prabang), bring light clothes for the day, a jacket and a sweater for the evening, and a raincoat for the drizzle; in the northern cities above 1,000 meters (3,300 feet), bring spring/autumn clothes, a warm jacket and a sweater for the evening.
For the south-central plains (Vientiane, Savannakhet, Pakse), bring light clothing, a light sweatshirt for the evening, and possibly a light jacket or a sweater for cooler evenings. For the highest peaks, warm clothes, such as a down jacket, a hat, and gloves.

In summer: all over the country, at low altitude, bring lightweight clothing of natural fibers, a light raincoat or umbrella, and a light sweatshirt for the evening. Above 1,000 meters (3,300 feet), you can add a sweatshirt and a light jacket. For the highest peaks, warm clothes, such as a sweater, a raincoat, and hiking shoes.
Before entering pagodas, it is customary to remove shoes, dress neatly and cover a little.

Climate data - Laos


Temperatures: °C, Precipitation: mm
Luang Prabang (300 meters)
Luang Prabang, location on the map
Luang Prabang, location on the map
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Min temp.141518222424242423221815
Max temp.283234353534333233323028
Precip.151535951501752252251651053015
Prec. days13491515192014941
Humidity73%64%61%64%70%75%79%81%79%76%74%73%
Day length111212131313131312121111
Sun hours676664446666

Muang Xay (650 meters)
Muang Xay, location on the map
Muang Xay, location on the map
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Min temp.111114182122222221181512
Max temp.262831323231303030292825
Precip.5205080240340545565315105155
Prec. days12581520242519931
Sun hours887765445788

Pakse
Pakse, location on the map
Pakse, location on the map
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Min temp.192124252525242424232220
Max temp.323435363432313131323232
Precip.0102565230350415505310130250
Prec. days013817212425201251
Humidity58%55%57%63%73%79%83%84%83%77%69%63%
Day length111212121313131312121111
Sun hours998875545688

Sainyabuli (290 meters)
Sainyabuli, location on the map
Sainyabuli, location on the map
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Min temp.151518222424242424221916
Max temp.283033343332313131312928
Precip.151045110175150220260250903020
Prec. days225101516192118942
Sun hours676664335566

Salavan
Salavan, location on the map
Salavan, location on the map
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Min temp.171923242525242424232118
Max temp.313335353432303031313130
Precip.5153580215320480460380125255
Prec. days114716192324201141
Sun hours997764445678

Savannakhet
Savannakhet, location on the map
Savannakhet, location on the map
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Min temp.161822242525252524222016
Max temp.303234353433323132313129
Precip.02540100215225275325250120150
Prec. days354818182121201242
Humidity63%63%63%65%72%76%81%83%80%74%69%66%
Day length111212121313131312121111

Thakhek
Thakhek, location on the map
Thakhek, location on the map
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Min temp.161822242525252424222017
Max temp.293134353432313131323129
Precip.5205080240340545565315105155
Prec. days12581520242519931
Sun hours887765445788

Vientiane
Vientiane, location on the map
Vientiane, location on the map
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Min temp.181922242525252524232118
Max temp.293133353433323132323129
Precip.1015358524528027033529580105
Prec. days12481518202117921
Humidity64%61%61%64%72%77%79%81%79%71%65%64%
Day length111212131313131312121111
Sun hours887865446788

Xam Neua (970 meters)
Xam Neua, location on the map
Xam Neua, location on the map
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Min temp.101114171921212020171411
Max temp.202327283030292828252320
Precip.2530501202103053203902501255520
Prec. days88101317202224181275



See also the temperatures month by month

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