The May Outlook indicates wetter than normal conditions in East Africa, Uruguay, and Bangladesh. Much warmer than normal temperatures are expected in India, Egypt, Sudan, and Northeast China.
Southeast Asia & the Pacific: Intense water deficits persist in Cambodia
Though water deficits persist in western Cambodia and Papua New Guinea, surpluses have dominated the rest of the region but will gradually transition to moderate deficit. Through March, exceptional surpluses are forecast in Myanmar, northern Laos, and northern Vietnam; less intense surpluses in southern Laos, eastern Cambodia, southern Vietnam, the Philippines, and Sumatra; and exceptional deficits in western Cambodia and northern Papua New Guinea. Mild deficits will emerge in Indonesia, and continue to emerge overall after March.
Southeast Asia & the Pacific: Intense water deficits to persist in W Cambodia
The forecast indicates a gradual transition from predominantly surplus conditions to deficit, with Cambodia and eastern Papua New Guinea showing deficit conditions throughout. Through January surpluses will begin to retreat from Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Papua but will persist with intensity in Southeast Asia. Moderate deficits will emerge in southern Thailand and around the Java Sea. After January severe deficits will begin to emerge in Malaysia and Indonesia and surpluses in Southeast Asia will begin to retreat.
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: Gradual transition from water surplus to deficit
The forecast indicates a transition away from widespread water surpluses and towards the gradual emergence of deficits. Exceptional deficits in western Cambodia are expected to persist through February or longer, but should diminish in extent after November. From September through November moderate deficits will begin to emerge in Thailand, the Malay Peninsula, southern Sumatra, and Java, and thereafter in Borneo and Sulawesi.