Though a significant retreat of exceptional water surplus in the region is forecast through October, exceptional surpluses remain in the forecast for: western Myanmar; eastern Thailand into southern Laos; and, southeastern Sulawesi and Sumbawa and Flores Islands in Indonesia. Exceptional deficits are forecast for a large block of western Cambodia, and deficits of varying severity are forecast for the Mekong Delta, southern Thailand, Singapore, Malaysian Borneo, southern Sumatra, and pockets in central Papua New Guinea. After October, near-normal conditions are expected in many parts of the region and deficits in western Cambodia will moderate.
Southeast Asia & the Pacific: Water deficits forecast for Papua New Guinea, Myanmar, & Thailand
From May through July moderate to severe water deficits are forecast to emerge in eastern Myanmar and western Thailand. Exceptional deficits in Papua New Guinea will downgrade but severe to extreme deficits will persist and emerge farther west into Papua, Indonesia. Moderate deficits are forecast to emerge in the western two-thirds of Indonesian Borneo. Surpluses reaching exceptional severity will persist in Sumbawa and Flores Islands, Indonesia, and moderate surpluses are forecast for northeastern Borneo and southern Philippines. After July deficits in the region will downgrade and surpluses will nearly disappear.
Southeast Asia & the Pacific: Water deficits forecast for Thailand, western Cambodia, Papua New Guinea
For the next three months severe to exceptional water deficits are forecast to persist in Cambodia, particularly in the west, and severe to extreme deficits will emerge throughout much of Thailand. Deficits are also forecast for southern Myanmar and Papua New Guinea. Both deficits and surpluses are forecast in Laos during this period and in Vietnam, though surpluses will dominate Vietnam’s central coast. After May deficits of varying intensity are forecast for much of the region and are expected to be of greatest severity in Papua New Guinea and Indonesian Borneo.
Global Precipitation & Temperature Outlook for February 2017
Southeast Asia & the Pacific: Water deficits to persist in Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Papua New Guinea; surpluses on Java
Exceptional water deficits will continue to affect many parts of Southeast Asia and the Pacific through November 2016. March through May is forecast to be especially dry in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, the Malay Peninsula, and Mindanao. In contrast, severe to exceptional water surpluses are expected on Java which may persist for months.