The forecast through December indicates that water surpluses will shrink but intense surpluses are forecast for western Myanmar, northern Laos, and northern Vietnam. Exceptional deficits will persist in western Cambodia. Deficits will increase in Thailand and will emerge in eastern and southern Sumatra and on smaller islands in the region. Philippines will transition from surplus to deficit. Deficits in Papua New Guinea, though downgrading, will remain severe.
Southeast Asia & the Pacific: Water deficits in Cambodia to abate after April
Exceptional water deficits will persist in western Cambodia through April. Deficits of varying severity are expected in Sumatra, Java, western Borneo, and Papua New Guinea. Intense surpluses are forecast for western and eastern Myanmar, northern Laos, along the Mekong River until it reaches Cambodia, and central Philippines. Surpluses are also forecast for Vietnam, pockets of Thailand, Brunei, and northeastern Borneo. After April, surpluses will retreat, Cambodia will transition to near-normal, and deficits are expected in Malaysia, Sumatra, and western Borneo.
Southeast Asia & the Pacific: Intense deficits to persist in W Cambodia
The forecast indicates a gradual transition from predominantly surplus conditions to deficit. Western Cambodia and eastern Papua New Guinea, however, show deficit conditions throughout the 12-month forecast. Surpluses will begin to downgrade in the near-term but exceptional surpluses remain in the forecast through December for western Myanmar, northern and southern Laos, and along the west side of the Mekong River in Cambodia down to Phnom Penh. After December severe deficits will begin to emerge in Malaysia and Indonesia.
Southeast Asia & the Pacific: Deficits persist in Cambodia, surpluses in Laos & Java
Though water surpluses are forecast for many parts of the region through January, exceptional deficits will persist in Cambodia through April. Surpluses are forecast through January in Laos, southern Vietnam, Java, Flores Island, eastern Borneo, Mindanao, and western Luzon, which may be exceptional in some areas. With the exception of the Philippines, many parts of the region will transition to water deficits from February through April.