Hanoi (VNA) – There is no evidence to show that northern Vietnam’srecent record-breaking hot weather - the hottest in 45 years - will repeat againthis summer, Le Thanh Hai, Deputy General Director of the National Hydro-MeteorologicalCentre, told Suc khoe & Doi song (Health and Life) newspaper.

Although other heat spells will likely continue to occur throughout thissummer, it is unlikely that temperatures will hit 40 degrees Celsius again innorthern provinces, Hai said.

"The climate is currently in an intermediate state, not El Nino, so thepossibility that north Vietnam will suffer extreme heat spells during thisyear’s summer is not high," Hai said.

He added that the centre predicts an average of three heat spells per monthduring June and July. Last week’s heat spell was the first in June, and theremay be two more heat waves from now to the end of the month.

Last week’s heat wave occurred on a large scale in the north and central provincesfrom Thanh Hoa to Phu Yen, where the highest temperatures ranged from 35 to 37degrees Celsius.

In Hanoi, the temperature reached 41-42 degrees.

Hai called last week an extreme weather phenomenon and therefore difficult topredict.

The main reason was the influence of low air pressure in the west, whichusually occurs in the summer. Additionally, a rare hot, dry wind in the westand urbanisation in cities helped drive the temperature up, he said.-VNA