80 years of meteorology and hydrology: agriculture’s ‘right hand’

Meteorology in wartime: Serving both farming and combat

After 1954, in the socialist North, meteorology and hydrology inherited just 15 surface meteorological stations, six hydrological stations, 41 water monitoring sites, and 27 rain gauges, many of which had ceased operation. In the South, under the former Saigon regime, only about 30 climate stations, two radiosonde stations, and a few hydrological and pilot sites remained.

Between 1945 and 1975, with the country at war, the meteorology and hydrology sector not only performed technical tasks but also focused on developing standards, procedures, and regulations, such as surface meteorological coding rules, surface meteorological observation procedures in wartime, provisional rules for hydrological observation and editing, marine meteorological observation rules, and pilot observation regulations.

Along with forecasting for production and disaster prevention, with “agriculture as the central priority”, meteorological forecasts during this period also had urgent national defense tasks. Weather forecasts, including specialized marine forecasts, supported military operations on waterways and roads. Flood forecasts helped with pontoon bridge construction and protecting artillery positions along rivers. These forecasts were produced through close cooperation between central and local forecast agencies, resulting in accurate, localized predictions that met the immediate needs of the armed forces and civilians.

From 1976 to 1990, meteorology and hydrology struggled with the same shortages plaguing the wider economy: outdated infrastructure, limited equipment, and scarce manpower. A major turning point came in 1991, when Directive 249 from the Chairman of the Council of Ministers (now the Prime Minister) called for strengthening meteorology and hydrology to better serve disaster prevention and economic development.

Following this directive, the General Department of meteorology and hydrology developed the program Enhancing the Capacity and Effectiveness of Meteorology and Hydrology for Socio-Economic Development, which included five key goals, such as ensuring the capacity and quality of meteorological and hydrological investigations and monitoring air and water quality. Starting in 1992, the program received significant state investment, combined with the sector’s determination, gradually reversing the decline of the observation network.

Agriculture’s trusted partner

Forecasting for agriculture has always been a cornerstone mission. On March 7, 1986, a formal cooperation agreement between the General Department of meteorology and hydrology and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry established meteorological services specifically for farming. Provincial and municipal forecast centers began delivering tailored predictions on floods, droughts, cold spells, pest outbreaks, crop calendars, and livestock productivity.

Today, Vietnam’s meteorology and hydrology network includes over 1,800 stations and observation points nationwide, manned by 1,500 observers working from remote highlands to offshore islands. Numerical weather prediction models from Germany (HRM), the United States (WRF), and the European ECMWF are now integrated into operations at the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting. Forecasts cover 600 towns and cities, with improved warnings on storms, cold air surges, and extreme rainfall.

Marine forecasting has also been expanded, particularly for the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos, serving both economic development and national sovereignty.

The sector has modernized forecast bulletins to be clearer, more detailed, and more accessible to the public. Storm maps are easier to interpret, warnings are issued 30 minutes to an hour earlier than in the past, and risk-based disaster warnings are now embedded in reports. These improvements have been widely praised by both central and local authorities.

Since the 1980s, specialized forecasts have supported large-scale infrastructure projects. At Hoa Binh and Tri An hydropower plants, long-term hydrological predictions guided the timing of river blockages, ensuring safety and efficiency. Forecasts also supported coal mining at Coc Vi, apatite extraction in Lao Cai, and later the operation of major reservoirs such as Thac Ba, Da Nhim, Hoa Binh, and Tri An. These forecasts helped optimize water use for power generation, irrigation, and flood control.

On the seas, forecasts have aided fisheries, maritime transport, construction, defense, and especially offshore oil and gas exploration, earning the trust of both domestic and foreign corporations operating in the East Sea (internationally known as the South China Sea).

The current national forecasting and warning system integrates domestic observation networks, international data, communication systems, data processing, and forecast operations. Forecasting is carried out by the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, seven regional centers, and 56 provincial centers, providing a robust foundation for agriculture, disaster prevention, and national development.