A strong cold spell, which is unusual for this time of the year, hit northern and central provinces on March 15, bringing rain and thunderstorms in some places, according to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

As a result, the temperatures in the regions dropped to between 8-14 degree Celsius, even 3-5 degree Celsius in some places, on March 16.

Heavy snow was seen in Sa Pa district, O Qui Ho mountain pass and Bat Xat district, the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai.

According to local people, this was the thickest snow fall in the region during the last 10 years.

The unusual weather phenomena attracted a lot of tourists to Sa Pa, which is a popular mountain resort site.

It also snowed in several northern mountainous provinces, including Phjia Oac mountain peak in Cao Bang province’s Nguyen Binh district and the Dong Van stone plateau in Ha Giang province where the temperature fell to minus 4 degree Celsius./.