Climate - Sa Pa (Vietnam)
Average weather, temperature, rainfall, sunshine hours
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Climate chart - Sa Pa (Vietnam)
In Sapa, there is a subtropical climate, with mild winters and cool summers. Generally the air is humid, the sun does not shine often, and mists and fogs can form. The rains are abundant, especially in the monsoon period, from May to September.
The city is located in the extreme north of Vietnam, in the province of Lao Cai, at an altitude of 1,500 meters and at 22 degrees north latitude.
About 20 km (12 mi) further north is the border with China.
We are in the Hoàng Liên National Park, and at the foot of the highest mountain in Vietnam and all of Indochina, Fansipan (or Phan Xi Pang), 3,143 meters (10,311 feet) high. On top of Fansipan, the temperature is about 10 degrees Celsius (19 degrees Fahrenheit) lower than in Sa Pa.
The winter, from December to February, is mild, however, the rains are frequent, sometimes fog can form, and there can also be cold periods. In fact, there can be days with highs below 5 °C (41 °F), and sometimes it can snow. In January 2016, the temperature dropped to -4 °C (25 °F), with a maximum of -2 °C (28.5 °F).
From May to September, during the summer monsoon, the rains are very frequent, and sometimes abundant. The humidity is high and the sun is seen quite rarely.
In April and October it rains a lot, even if a little less than from May to September.
Heat records are around 29 °C (84 °F) in April and May, in good weather before the monsoon, and 28 °C (82.5 °F) in July and August, recorded on the rare days of these months when it doesn't rain.
The city can be hit by typhoons, the tropical cyclones of Southeast Asia, even though it is not on the coast, which is the area most at risk. Typically, typhoons pass in this area from June to early November.
Best Time
It is difficult to find the best time to visit Sa Pa and hike the mountain trails in the area. Winter is the least rainy season, but sometimes it can get cold.
You can then choose spring and autumn. The months of April and October are mild, but they are very rainy, though not like the period from May to September. In the months of March and November, the rains are less frequent than in April and October, but sometimes it can get cold, though less so than in winter.
In spring the area is filled with flowers, while in late summer, between the end of August and September, the cultivated terraces are colored with gold for the rice harvest.
However, as the terrain is often muddy, it is best to wear rubber boots when hiking.
Sa Pa - Climate data
The average temperature of the coldest month (January) is of 9.4 °C (48.8 °F), that of the warmest month (July) is of 20.4 °C (68.6 °F). Here are the average temperatures.Sa Pa - Average temperatures| Month | Min (°C) | Max (°C) | Mean (°C) | Min (°F) | Max (°F) | Mean (°F) |
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| January | 6.2 | 12.5 | 9.4 | 43 | 54 | 48.8 |
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| February | 7.5 | 14.1 | 10.8 | 46 | 57 | 51.4 |
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| March | 10.7 | 18.1 | 14.4 | 51 | 65 | 57.9 |
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| April | 13.8 | 21.2 | 17.5 | 57 | 70 | 63.5 |
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| May | 16.3 | 22.4 | 19.4 | 61 | 72 | 66.8 |
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| June | 17.6 | 22.8 | 20.2 | 64 | 73 | 68.4 |
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| July | 17.7 | 23 | 20.4 | 64 | 73 | 68.6 |
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| August | 17.4 | 23.1 | 20.2 | 63 | 74 | 68.4 |
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| September | 15.9 | 21.6 | 18.8 | 61 | 71 | 65.8 |
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| October | 13.5 | 19 | 16.2 | 56 | 66 | 61.2 |
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| November | 10.1 | 15.9 | 13 | 50 | 61 | 55.4 |
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| December | 6.9 | 13.4 | 10.2 | 44 | 56 | 50.3 |
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| Year | 12.8 | 18.9 | 15.85 | 55.1 | 66.1 | 60.5 |
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Precipitation amounts to 2835 millimeters (111.6 inches) per year: it is therefore very abundant. It ranges from 65 mm (2.6 in) in the driest months (January, December) to 465 mm (18.3 in) in the wettest one (July). Here is the average precipitation.Sa Pa - Average precipitation| Month | Millimeters | Inches | Days |
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| January | 65 | 2.6 | 15 |
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| February | 80 | 3.1 | 16 |
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| March | 105 | 4.1 | 16 |
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| April | 215 | 8.5 | 18 |
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| May | 345 | 13.6 | 22 |
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| June | 410 | 16.1 | 24 |
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| July | 465 | 18.3 | 26 |
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| August | 450 | 17.7 | 24 |
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| September | 315 | 12.4 | 20 |
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| October | 215 | 8.5 | 18 |
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| November | 110 | 4.3 | 14 |
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| December | 65 | 2.6 | 12 |
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| Year | 2835 | 111.6 | 226 |
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There are on average around 1455 sunshine hours per year. Here are the average hours of sunshine per day.
Sa Pa - Sunshine hours| Month | Average | Total |
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January | 4 | 115 | February | 4 | 110 | March | 5 | 155 | April | 5.5 | 170 | May | 4.5 | 145 | June | 3 | 95 | July | 3.5 | 105 | August | 4 | 115 | September | 3.5 | 100 | October | 3 | 95 | November | 3.5 | 105 | December | 4 | 130 | Year | 4 | 1455 |
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