Vieng Phoukha sits in Laos’s mountainous north, where the wet season from May through October brings substantial rainfall to steep, forested terrain, followed by a cooler, drier season from November through April.
In Luang Namtha province, the town’s hilly terrain can send heavy monsoon rain into local streams quickly. Because the region’s rivers are short and drop quickly through narrow valleys, heavy monsoon rain can trigger fast-rising streams and landslides with little warning, making radar an important tool for spotting a developing storm before it reaches villages in the valleys below. Learn more: Flash Flood Warning Signs on Radar · Open the full Rain Map