Climate Talk

Why Bangkok flooded: the low-pressure system that stayed (simple version!)

I read the Guardian part of the Bangkok post twice so here is my simple version!

A low-pressure system moved north-west up the Gulf of Thailand and then stayed over central Thailand instead of moving on. When a system stays, the rain keeps falling on the same place for days. A station near Prachin Buri got 213.5mm in 24 hours! Bangkok got almost 300mm over three days.

Same lesson as many typhoons: it's not only how strong, it's how long it stays!