Rho

Does anyone know what the weather in Phuket has been like lately? I have been checking weather.com and the 10-day forecast says scattered t-storms but high- mid- 80's... I am hoping that we will have some little breaks of sunshine and that the forecast I read was incorrect! How sad to have to spend our beach time in torrential rains or to be flooded out! Thanks!!

KimJapan

Scattered thunderstorms means just that...scattered. Or localized, occasional, brief. Even in the true rainy season, there are seldom entire days of torrential rain. Unless there is some kind of fluke in the weather pattern, you will see plenty of sun.

Rho

Thanks, Kim! I can't really complain coming from 30+ degrees right now in Seattle. I'll be happy just to not see my breath when I step outside...

Hanuman

For a more precise or detailed weather report for Thailand try our local weather report:

http://www.tmd.go.th/en/

Phuket:

http://www.tmd.go.th/en/region.php?RegionID=6

Weather radar for Phuket doesn't look like it's having continuous rain but then again I'm not an expert at interpreting these images:

http://www2.tmd.go.th/radar/phuketLoop.html

Hope this help.

Rho

Hanuman, thx! Those are very helpful websites that I'll be keeping my eye on until the day we leave to Thailand!!

Cicerone

Although the rainy season ended about the middle of last month for Phuket, and of course forecasts are just so unreliable, there has been a weird weather pattern going on along the west coast of Thailand and Malaysia. I was in Kuala Lumpur last week and we had about 3 days of continuous rain, virtually unknown for December for KL; everyone was commenting on this. I believe even Bangkok got some heavy rain. This is quite unusual, and while it seems to be hanging around a little, is unlikely to last very long. Generally, the monsoon has receded from the west coast of the Thai/Malay peninsula by mid-November and is sitting along the east coast of the peninsula, Singapore and points further south like Bali.

If you look at some historical rainfall for December for Phuket, that may make you feel better, see http://www.worldweather.org/089/c00579.htm and weatherbase.com to see the very LOW average rainfall for Phuket historically for December. This does not mean that it won't rain like it appears to be doing now, but may give you some comfort that it is a real fluke if it does. You picked the right month historically to go to Phuket.

Temps are unlikely to change much even with the rain, so I wouldn't change the clothes you bring, just pack an umbrella.

Hanuman

Cicerone,

It hasn't rain in Bangkok for a while now and the cold spell seem to have subsided. The humidity is still relatively low, in comparison to the other months, but it's definitely warming up.

Down South is still pouring. Lots of flooding around the Thai/Malay border area. Strange weather indeed!