Storm ‘Maysak’ to cause heavy rainfall across Thailand

The Meteorological Department has issued its first warning for tropical storm ‘Maysak’, which is expected to trigger widespread heavy rainfall across Thailand over the next few days, despite not hitting the country directly.

At 4am on Friday, the storm was centered roughly 510 kilometers south of Nanning, China, packing maximum sustained wind speeds of 65 kilometers per hour. Moving westward at a speed of 20kph, Maysak is forecast to track across Hainan Island before making landfall in southern China between July 4 and 6.

While the storm's centre will bypass Thailand entirely, its interaction with a monsoon trough over the north and extreme northeast, alongside a strengthening southwest monsoon over the Andaman Sea and the Gulf, will drastically ramp up wet weather nationwide.

Heavy to very heavy showers are forecast for today and tomorrow, with the north, far northeast, east and south bearing the brunt. Heavy downpours will persist in the far north and northeast through July 5 and 6, prompting authorities to warn residents in vulnerable areas to brace for potential flash floods.

Conditions at sea are also set to deteriorate. Waves in the northern Andaman Sea are expected to reach heights of 2 to 3 meters, and over 3 meters during thundershowers. The southern Andaman and northern Gulf will see waves averaging 2 meters.

All mariners are advised to navigate with extreme caution and steer clear of stormy waters. Small boats in the northern Andaman Sea are urged to remain ashore throughout the weekend or until conditions improve.