Asia Update #22: Heavy rain across ASEAN

Heavy rain continues to pound almost all of the countries in southeast Asia. Rainfall is expected to continue in the northeastern corner of South Asia. Seasonable conditions in the Middle East and Central Asia, as drought continues unabated in China.

Very heavy rain blanketed much of southeastern Asia during the past week allowing the Maritime Continent to pick up well over its normal rainfall, for this time of year. Rains were particularly heavy in the Philippines, on Borneo, and along the Thai-Malaysia border. A second peak to the rains typically does occur across Indonesia during April, but it appears to be starting up a couple of weeks early. The heavy rain will continue into next week, largely unabated.

No change in the drought in southern China. Crops that have been damaged will receive no improvement over the next week, and available drinking water and pasture will continue to be reduced.

A typical March week in the Middle East with rains across Turkey, Lebanon, Syria and Israel. Those rains are expected to continue into next week as another low-pressure system will push into the region. These systems are also moving through Central Asia where they have been bringing rain to the low and mid elevations, and snow to the higher elevations. Due to melting ground snow remains only in the highest elevations, mainly in northeast Afghanistan and Pakistan. Most areas are now getting above freezing during the day.

The wet season is likely to get underway next week across Bangladesh, Bhutan and northeastern India. This is highly unusual, given that there is no expectation that that wet season is about to kick off in southern India.