Rain & the Nam Song

How the rainy season is going — the last 30 days against the long-term average and the week ahead — and what it means for the river and the roads.

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Where the year stands

It is the rainy season (wet / monsoon) — the Nam Song rises and runs brown; tubing and kayaking close when it is high. August is usually wettest, and heavy rain can flood low ground and cut Route 13.

Season	When
Cool dry season	1 November – 28 February
Hot dry season	1 March – 30 April
Rainy seasonwet / monsoon	1 May – 31 October	now

Season edges drift from year to year — treat these as the usual pattern, not exact dates.

Day

Rain

Chance of rain

Mon 12 Oct (today)

0 mm

Tue 13 Oct

2 mm

41%

Wed 14 Oct

3 mm

41%

Thu 15 Oct

3 mm

61%

Fri 16 Oct

8 mm

37%

Sat 17 Oct

1 mm

61%

Sun 18 Oct

0 mm

37%

Worth knowing

The Nam Song and the water

High, brown water closes tubing and kayaking. Wear a life jacket every time, never go on the river after drinking or alone, and get off the water well before dark. In August 2023 the Nam Song rose to almost 4 metres against a 4.5-metre danger mark, and eight riverside villages were told to be ready to move. There is no public river gauge here — judge the water by its height and colour, and ask local operators before you go on it.

Route 13 and getting out

In the wet months heavy rain can flood low spots and trigger landslides on Route 13 — the road and the railway are the only ways in and out. Trains sell out in busy periods, so book ahead, and keep a day's slack in your plans during the monsoon.

Burning-season haze (March–May)

In the hot dry months, farmers burn fields across northern Laos and a smoky haze can settle over the valley, cutting visibility and irritating eyes and chests. It is not rain, but it is the other thing the dry season can bring.