Editing Geography of Laos (section)

==Climate==
[[File:Koppen-Geiger_Map_v2_LAO_1991–2020.svg|thumb|Laos Köppen climate classification]]
[[Image:Climate Vientiane.svg|thumb|Climate data for [[Vientiane]]]]

Laos has a tropical climate, with a rainy season from May through October, a cool dry season from November through February, and a hot dry season in March and April.<ref name="Savada 1995-2" /> Generally, monsoons occur at the same time across the country, while that time may vary from 1 year to the next.<ref name="Savada 1995-2" />

Rainfall varies regionally, with the highest amounts—{{convert|3,700|mm|in|abbr=off|sp=us}} annually—recorded on the [[Bolaven Plateau]] in Champasak Province.<ref>{{Harvnb|Savada|1995|p=83}}.</ref> City rainfall stations have recorded that Savannakhét averages {{convert|1,440|mm|in|abbr=off|sp=us}} of rain annually; Vientiane receives about {{convert|1,700|mm|in|abbr=off|sp=us}}, and Louangphrabang ([[Luang Prabang]]) receives about {{convert|1,360|mm|in|abbr=off|sp=us}}.<ref name="Savada 1995-2" />

Rainfall is not always adequate for rice cultivation and the average precipitation conceals years where rainfall may be half or less of the norm, causing declines in rice yields.<ref name="Savada 1995-2" /> Such droughts sometimes are regional, leaving production in other parts of the country unaffected.<ref name="Savada 1995-2" />

The average temperatures in January, coolest month, are, Luang Prabang 20.5&nbsp;°C (minimum 0.8&nbsp;°C), Vientiane 20.3&nbsp;°C (minimum 3.3&nbsp;°C), and Pakse 23.9&nbsp;°C (minimum 7.8&nbsp;°C); the average temperatures for April, usually the hottest month, are, Luang Prabang 28.1&nbsp;°C (maximum 44.8&nbsp;°C), Vientiane 42.5&nbsp;°C. Temperature does vary according to the altitude, there is an average drop of 1.7&nbsp;°C for every 1000 feet (or 300 meters). Temperatures in the upland plateux and in the mountains are considered lower than on the plains around Vientiane.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Laos climate: average weather, temperature, precipitation, when to go |url=https://www.climatestotravel.com/climate/laos |access-date=2022-06-24 |website=www.climatestotravel.com}}</ref>

{{Weather box
| location = Vientiane (1981–2010)
| metric first = Yes
| single line = Yes
| Jan record high C = 36.0
| Feb record high C = 38.0
| Mar record high C = 40.0
| Apr record high C = 41.4
| May record high C = 42.5
| Jun record high C = 39.5
| Jul record high C = 39.0
| Aug record high C = 37.2
| Sep record high C = 37.5
| Oct record high C = 36.8
| Nov record high C = 36.0
| Dec record high C = 36.0
| year record high C = 42.5
| Jan high C = 28.7
| Feb high C = 30.8
| Mar high C = 33.1
| Apr high C = 34.6
| May high C = 33.1
| Jun high C = 32.2
| Jul high C = 31.6
| Aug high C = 31.2
| Sep high C = 31.3
| Oct high C = 31.2
| Nov high C = 30.1
| Dec high C = 28.3
| year high C = 31.1
| Jan mean C = 22.4
| Feb mean C = 24.7
| Mar mean C = 27.1
| Apr mean C = 29.0
| May mean C = 28.4
| Jun mean C = 28.1
| Jul mean C = 27.7
| Aug mean C = 27.5
| Sep mean C = 27.3
| Oct mean C = 26.8
| Nov mean C = 24.8
| Dec mean C = 22.2
| year mean C = 26.3
| Jan low C = 17.4
| Feb low C = 19.6
| Mar low C = 22.1
| Apr low C = 24.5
| May low C = 24.9
| Jun low C = 25.2
| Jul low C = 25.0
| Aug low C = 24.8
| Sep low C = 24.3
| Oct low C = 23.4
| Nov low C = 20.5
| Dec low C = 17.3
| year low C = 22.4
| Jan record low C = 3.3
| Feb record low C = 7.6
| Mar record low C = 10.0
| Apr record low C = 16.8
| May record low C = 19.0
| Jun record low C = 20.0
| Jul record low C = 19.5
| Aug record low C = 20.6
| Sep record low C = 18.8
| Oct record low C = 12.9
| Nov record low C = 8.9
| Dec record low C = 5.0
| year record low C = 3.3
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation mm = 7.8
| Feb precipitation mm = 15.3
| Mar precipitation mm = 39.2
| Apr precipitation mm = 92.8
| May precipitation mm = 233.5
| Jun precipitation mm = 264.6
| Jul precipitation mm = 307.2
| Aug precipitation mm = 332.9
| Sep precipitation mm = 270.2
| Oct precipitation mm = 96.6
| Nov precipitation mm = 13.5
| Dec precipitation mm = 3.7
| year precipitation mm = 1677.2
| Jan rain days = 1.0
| Feb rain days = 2.0
| Mar rain days = 5.0
| Apr rain days = 8.0
| May rain days = 16.0
| Jun rain days = 19.0
| Jul rain days = 20.0
| Aug rain days = 22.0
| Sep rain days = 17.0
| Oct rain days = 9.0
| Nov rain days = 2.0
| Dec rain days = 1.0
| year rain days = 122.0
| Jan humidity = 70
| Feb humidity = 68
| Mar humidity = 66
| Apr humidity = 69
| May humidity = 78
| Jun humidity = 82
| Jul humidity = 82
| Aug humidity = 84
| Sep humidity = 83
| Oct humidity = 78
| Nov humidity = 72
| Dec humidity = 70
| year humidity = 75
| Jan sun = 239.8
| Feb sun = 216.9
| Mar sun = 218.5
| Apr sun = 227.6
| May sun = 195.3
| Jun sun = 140.8
| Jul sun = 129.9
| Aug sun = 133.0
| Sep sun = 165.9
| Oct sun = 210.5
| Nov sun = 228.5
| Dec sun = 246.6
| year sun = 2353.5
| source 1 = [[World Meteorological Organization]],<ref name=WMOCLINO>{{cite web
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210716235244/https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/normals/WMO/1981-2010/RA-II/Lao_PDR/Vientiane%20Capital.xls
| archive-date = 16 July 2021
| url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/normals/WMO/1981-2010/RA-II/Lao_PDR/Vientiane%20Capital.xls
| title = World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1981–2010
| publisher = World Meteorological Organization
| access-date = 16 July 2021}}</ref> [[Deutscher Wetterdienst]] (extremes 1907–1990),<ref>
{{cite web
| url = http://www.dwd.de/DWD/klima/beratung/ak/ak_489400_kt.pdf
| title = Klimatafel von Vientiane (Viangchan) / Laos
| work = Baseline climate means (1961–1990) from stations all over the world
| publisher = Deutscher Wetterdienst
| language = de
| access-date = 23 January 2016}}</ref> Pogoda.ru.net,<ref name=pogoda>
{{cite web|url=http://www.pogodaiklimat.ru/climate4.php?id=48940|script-title=ru:КЛИМАТ УЛАН-БАТОРА|publisher=Pogoda.ru.net|language=ru|access-date=4 January 2015}}</ref> tutiempo.net<ref name=RID>{{Cite web |last=S.L |first=Tutiempo Network |title=Climate Vientiane - Climate data (489400) |url=https://en.tutiempo.net/climate/ws-489400.html |access-date=2023-03-26 |website=www.tutiempo.net |language=en}}</ref>
| source 2 = [[NOAA]] (humidity 1961–1990)<ref name="NOAA">{{cite web
| url = ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/TABLES/REG_II/LA/48940.TXT
| title = Vientiane Climate Normals 1961–1990
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| access-date = 29 November 2013}}</ref>
| date = August 2010
| source = 
}}

{{Weather box
|location = Pakse (1981–2010)
|metric first = Y
|single line = Y
|Jan record high C = 36.7
|Feb record high C = 37.8
|Mar record high C = 38.9
|Apr record high C = 40.8
|May record high C = 41.3
|Jun record high C = 38.3
|Jul record high C = 38.2
|Aug record high C = 35.0
|Sep record high C = 36.0
|Oct record high C = 36.7
|Nov record high C = 36.7
|Dec record high C = 36.6
|year record high C = 41.3
|Jan high C = 32.0
|Feb high C = 33.5
|Mar high C = 35.1
|Apr high C = 35.5
|May high C = 33.5
|Jun high C = 31.6
|Jul high C = 31.0
|Aug high C = 30.5
|Sep high C = 31.0
|Oct high C = 31.3
|Nov high C = 31.2
|Dec high C = 30.8
|year high C = 32.3
|Jan mean C = 25.6
|Feb mean C = 27.7
|Mar mean C = 29.6
|Apr mean C = 30.4
|May mean C = 29.1
|Jun mean C = 28.1
|Jul mean C = 27.6
|Aug mean C = 27.2
|Sep mean C = 27.3
|Oct mean C = 27.1
|Nov mean C = 26.2
|Dec mean C = 24.9
|year mean C = 27.6
|Jan low C = 18.7
|Feb low C = 21.4
|Mar low C = 24.1
|Apr low C = 25.8
|May low C = 25.3
|Jun low C = 24.9
|Jul low C = 24.5
|Aug low C = 24.3
|Sep low C = 24.1
|Oct low C = 23.1
|Nov low C = 21.1
|Dec low C = 18.9
|year low C = 23.0
|Jan record low C = 7.8
|Feb record low C = 10.8
|Mar record low C = 12.8
|Apr record low C = 19.8
|May record low C = 21.7
|Jun record low C = 21.5
|Jul record low C = 21.4
|Aug record low C = 21.5
|Sep record low C = 20.0
|Oct record low C = 16.7
|Nov record low C = 13.9
|Dec record low C = 8.9
|year record low C = 7.8
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 1.5
|Feb precipitation mm = 10.4
|Mar precipitation mm = 26.5
|Apr precipitation mm = 67.3
|May precipitation mm = 229.6
|Jun precipitation mm = 351.3
|Jul precipitation mm = 414.6
|Aug precipitation mm = 504.6
|Sep precipitation mm = 308.2
|Oct precipitation mm = 128.9
|Nov precipitation mm = 25.3
|Dec precipitation mm = 2.2
|year precipitation mm = 2070.6
|Jan rain days = 0
|Feb rain days = 1
|Mar rain days = 3
|Apr rain days = 8
|May rain days = 17
|Jun rain days = 21
|Jul rain days = 24
|Aug rain days = 25
|Sep rain days = 20
|Oct rain days = 12
|Nov rain days = 5
|Dec rain days = 1
|year rain days = 138
|Jan humidity = 62
|Feb humidity = 60
|Mar humidity = 59
|Apr humidity = 65
|May humidity = 75
|Jun humidity = 82
|Jul humidity = 83
|Aug humidity = 85
|Sep humidity = 84
|Oct humidity = 79
|Nov humidity = 72
|Dec humidity = 67
|year humidity = 72.8
|Jan sun = 274.5
|Feb sun = 243.9
|Mar sun = 244.5
|Apr sun = 227.1
|May sun = 202.0
|Jun sun = 145.0
|Jul sun = 142.2
|Aug sun = 126.6
|Sep sun = 141.2
|Oct sun = 188.3
|Nov sun = 225.7
|Dec sun = 249.3
|year sun = 2410.4
|source 1 = [[World Meteorological Organization]],<ref>{{cite web
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210717012832/https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/normals/WMO/1981-2010/RA-II/Lao_PDR/Pakse.xls
| archive-date = 17 July 2021
| url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/normals/WMO/1981-2010/RA-II/Lao_PDR/Pakse.xls
| title = World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1981–2010
| publisher = World Meteorological Organization
| access-date = 16 July 2021}}</ref> tutiempo.net<ref>{{Cite web |last=S.L |first=Tutiempo Network |title=Climate Pakse - Climate data (489550) |url=https://en.tutiempo.net/climate/ws-489550.html |access-date=2023-03-26 |website=www.tutiempo.net |language=en}}</ref>
|source 2 = [[NOAA]] (humidity 1961–1990),<ref>{{cite web
| url = ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/RA-II/LA/48955.TXT
| title = Pakse Climate Normals 1961-1990
| publisher = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]
| access-date = January 11, 2013}}</ref> [[Deutscher Wetterdienst]] (extremes),<ref name = DWD>
{{cite web
| url = http://www.dwd.de/DWD/klima/beratung/ak/ak_489550_kt.pdf
| title = Klimatafel von Pakse (Pakxé) / Laos
| work = Baseline climate means (1961-1990) from stations all over the world
| publisher = Deutscher Wetterdienst
| language = de
| access-date = January 23, 2016}}</ref> The Yearbook of Indochina (1932-1933)<ref>[https://seadelt.net/Asset/Source/Document_ID-247_No-01.PDF  The Yearbook of Indochina (1932-1933)]</ref>
|date=December 2014}}