The forecast indicates a transition away from widespread, intense water surplus to deficit. Surpluses are forecast, however, for parts of Myanmar, northern Laos, northwestern Vietnam, eastern Cambodia, central Philippines, and East Nusa Tengara. Intense deficits will emerge in southernmost Thailand, and spread in Malaysia and northern Sumatra. Deficits of varying intensity are expected to emerge throughout Indonesia and may be extreme in West Nusa Tengara and Timor-Leste. Deficits in Papua New Guinea will downgrade but remain severe.
Southeast Asia & the Pacific: Exceptional deficits forecast for Peninsular Malaysia
The forecast indicates a transition away from water surplus to deficit. Deficits are forecast for mainland Southeast Asia, Peninsular Malaysia, northern Sumatra, and Luzon and Mindanao in the Philippines; deficits may be exceptional in Peninsular Malaysia. Exceptional deficits in Cambodia will shrink considerably but persist in a pocket northeast of Tonlé Sap. Severe deficits are forecast for Vietnam’s Mekong Delta region. Surpluses are forecast for central Philippines. After June, anomalies in the region will downgrade though severe deficits will continue in Peninsular Malaysia.
Southeast Asia & the Pacific: Water deficits to emerge in northern Vietnam; surpluses persist in Phetchaburi, Thailand
Much of the region has experienced exceptional water surplus conditions in the most recent observations. These moderate in the near-term forecast and subside completely September through February 2018. Recently observed exceptional deficits in Cambodia and Papua New Guinea subside during the June through August period. In the December through February 2018 forecast period deficits may emerge over mainland Malaysia and coastal Myanmar.
Southeast Asia & the Pacific: Deficits to emerge on Java; surpluses Vietnam, Malay Peninsula
From April through June water deficits are forecast to emerge on Java, southern Sumatra, and southern Borneo, but will recede in Cambodia except for a pocket of exceptional deficits northeast of Tonlé Sap. Surpluses are forecast for central Vietnam, the Malay Peninsula, northern Sumatra, northeast Borneo, and Mindanao. After June, deficits are forecast for most of the region, with severe to exceptional deficits in Malaysia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and eastern Mindanao.
Global Precipitation & Temperature Outlook for December 2016
The December 2016 Precipitation & Temperature Outlook indicates that many parts of South Asia, East Asia, and Southeast Asia are forecast to be much warmer than normal. Significant dry anomalies are expected to envelope Sri Lanka. Wet anomalies are forecast for Kazakhstan, northern Mongolia, Myanmar, the Malaysian Peninsula, Western Australia, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and Venezuela.