Thailand’s Weather Transition: From Crisp Mornings to Summer’s Arrival in February 2025

As the sun lazily peeks over the horizon in Thailand, a subtle shift is unfolding in the air, according to the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD). A warming trend is teasing the edges of this tropical landscape, though the mornings still greet early risers with a crisp nip. It’s a bit like Thailand is caught in a weather tug-of-war, where the warmth wants to take the stage but the chill isn’t quite ready to give up its starring role.

Across the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea, the waters are doing their own little dance, with waves reaching a modest height of about 1 metre. It’s a scene set for seafarers to proceed with a dollop of caution. But in good news for beachgoers and sea explorers alike, nothing too wild is expected to stir up the serenity of the horizon.

Over in upper Thailand, look out for temperatures on the rise by a gentle 1 to 3 degrees Celsius. Mornings might remain wrapped in a blanket of cold and fog, but as the day marches on, the temperature promises to rise like a brave knight, taking the chill off afternoon shadows. Meanwhile, atop the majestic mountain peaks, the air retains its frosty allure, keeping conditions cold to bone-chillingly so, a perfect reminder of the stubborn high pressure keeping an icy grip.

The capital city, Bangkok, isn’t left out of this weather narrative. Here, mornings are a tad on the cool side, and there’s a little mischief in the air as PM 2.5 levels make a sly appearance, gently climbing upwards. It’s the northeast monsoon making its graceful retreat, a waltzing goodbye with its winds softening and waving at barely 1 metre high.

All of this puffery isn’t without its backstage whispers. Dust and haze are piling up like uninvited party crashers, particularly as the weary wind slows its pace, letting bits of the atmosphere settle like an unwelcome patina over upper Thailand.

For the wanderers heading north, anticipate a gentle chill with a touch more warmth in the air. Fog will take its morning cue, with temperatures courtesying at lows between 16 to 19 degrees Celsius while highs bid you welcome from 31 to 35 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, those cold peaks cling to their icy crowns, flirting with temperatures as low as 6, making them quite the frosty hosts for any adventurous soul willing to brave their heights.

The northeast carries a similar tune, with a temperature uptick and the usual suspects of early morning coolness and foggy whispers. In central Thailand, it’s much of the same – cool mornings, hot afternoons – as if it were rehearsing for a summertime play, with a forecast mentioning skies that could produce fiery afternoon climaxes reaching up to 35 degrees Celsius.

Down south, the eastern coast wakes up to a cool touch and lightly fog-cloaked mornings. East winds whimsically determine waves while the western counterpart nods to cooler mornings too, all beneath a canopy of predictions and possibility.

As February gently edges toward its conclusion, Thailand’s summer is set to make a fashionably late entrance, expected to extend from late February right into the joyous mid-May. It’s a time of contrasts: hot and humid parades alternating with notable thunderstorms flaring up, seemingly on a whim. If forecasts are to be trusted, some parts might even sit under a sun that cranks up its thermostat to a sizzling 40 to 43 degrees Celsius.

Further culinary twists in the meteorological menu include summer storms pitching in with ferocity, bringing along a potpourri of thunderstorms, gusty winds, and even the occasional surprise of hail. For the fortnight stretching from February 11 to 25, the patterns signal a modest uptick in temperature, though things won’t boil over. Instead, expect light rain showers in the lower northeast and a generous sprinkle of dust accumulation – a bit of earthly splattering on this atmospheric canvas.

As if this wasn’t enough drama, mid-to-late February could see wind patterns pirouette to their own peculiar rhythm, influencing weather narratives north to south, east to west, inviting a patchwork of rain and sometimes, sheer unpredictability. For Thailand, the art of weather is one of transitions and tales, each day pulling the curtain on another act in this ongoing play of warmth and wonder.