Lampang - Geography and Climate

Geography and Climate

Lampang city is situated in the valley of the Wang River in the heart of Northern Thailand, bordered by the Khun Tan Range (ทิวเขาขุนตาน) on the west and the Phi Pan Nam Range on the east. The river, a major tributary of the Chao Phraya, flows directly through the city. The city focuses on the south side of Wang River, although the old parts of the city had been originally developed in the north side of it. Nowadays, the downtown of Lampang has grown in the south-east of the river along Bunyawat and Pahon Yothin roads, the main roads of the city are filled with dense commercial and residential buildings.

Lampang has a relatively dry climate relative to nearby provinces. "Winter" starts from the last rains, typically November, and lasts until March. Cold air masses from Siberia sometimes lead to nighttime temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius, although that is quite rare. Winter is characterized by dry, sunny, and quite pleasant days, and cool and occasionally foggy nights. In recent times, the blue winter sky is often marred by the practice of burning the fields after the harvest, as well as the smog generated by Mae Mo coal-fired power plants.

Summer typically starts from March until June. The temperature could soar to 40 degrees Celsius in April. Late afternoon thunderstorms and hailstorms are frequent.

Rainy season runs from June until November. Being in a relative rain shadow, Lampang receives less precipitation than neighboring provinces and rarely suffers from extensive flooding which has plagued Chiang Mai in recent years.