Southeast Asia Weather & Natural Hazards Today: Thursday, November 5, 2026

Nov 5, 2026 · @Paul

By Paul Harrison, Orbis Weather

Mayon Volcano in the Philippines is the region’s most serious hazard this Thursday, held at Alert Level 3 with nearly 4,000 people evacuated in Albay province, while Thailand braces for storms and flash floods from November 5 to 9 and Malaysia recovers from flash floods in Selangor. Heavy rain is also forecast for parts of Sumatra, Java and Sulawesi in Indonesia, and Indonesia’s Semeru volcano erupted twice on Wednesday.

No tropical cyclone threatens Southeast Asia. Typhoon In-fa, south of Japan, is moving north and away from the region. This report is current to 7:00 a.m. Thursday, November 5, Bangkok, Hanoi and Jakarta time (UTC+7), 8:00 a.m. Manila, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur time (UTC+8), and 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, November 4, US Eastern time.

Key facts

Tropical cyclones

Neither storm threatens Southeast Asia, and the US Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) listed no other developing systems in its latest western Pacific and Indian Ocean bulletins.

PAGASA, the Philippine weather service, says In-fa remains outside its area of responsibility.

Floods and heavy rain

Thailand

Thailand’s Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) has placed Bangkok and 47 provinces in the North, Northeast, Central and East regions on storm watch, and all 14 southern provinces on flood watch, for November 5 to 9, citing a high-pressure system from China and Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) Advisory No. 2, The Nation reported on November 3. TMD and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration warn of thundershowers, gusty winds, hail and isolated heavy rain across upper Thailand from November 5 to 7, starting in the Northeast, with “a high risk of floodwater collecting at several vulnerable locations” in Bangkok before it can drain, The Nation reported on November 4.

The South faces heavy rain in many areas from November 7 to 9, with isolated very heavy rain and a risk of flash floods and forest run-off. Waves in the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand may exceed 2 metres in thundershowers. DDPM’s hotline is 1784.

Malaysia

Flash floods hit Sungai Buloh, Paya Jaras, Kampung Melayu Subang, Rawang and parts of Shah Alam in Selangor early on November 4, according to the Selangor Fire and Rescue Department, Malay Mail reported. The Public Works Department recorded 48 mm of rain at Paya Jaras Hilir, and the collapsed bridge cut the main route between Kampung Kubu Gajah and Paya Jaras Hilir. No casualties were reported.

MetMalaysia, the national weather service, issued a thunderstorm warning at 3:50 p.m. Malaysia time on November 4 covering all of Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka and Perlis and districts in nine other states, Malay Mail reported.

Indonesia

Indonesia’s weather agency BMKG forecasts heavy to very heavy rain on November 5 in the districts of Central Bengkulu, North Bengkulu, Kepahiang, Bogor, Sukabumi, Bangka, West Bangka, Majene, Mamasa, Mamuju, Mandailing Natal and South Nias, Arina.id reported, quoting BMKG forecaster Annisa. BMKG links the rain to cyclonic circulations, rotating wind patterns west of Sumatra and over the northern Natuna Sea. It also warns of coastal flooding in West Java, Central Java, West Nusa Tenggara, and Central and South Kalimantan.

Country-by-country weather today

Earthquakes

The US Geological Survey (USGS) recorded three earthquakes of magnitude 4.4 or more in Southeast Asia in the 48 hours to 7 a.m. Thursday, Bangkok time. Two struck more than 100 km deep.

Tsunami status: USGS flagged none of these events for tsunami potential.

Volcanoes

Alert scales differ: the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) uses levels 0 to 5, and Indonesia’s volcano agency (PVMBG) uses Level I (Normal) to Level IV (Awas).

Haze, fires and air quality

Smoke from fires in Kalimantan, which has caused haze in the southern region since August, still affects Singapore. Singapore’s 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) was 60 to 69, in the Moderate range, at 5 p.m. on November 4, and the National Environment Agency (NEA) observed moderate to dense smoke plumes over southern Kalimantan; it expects light, variable winds and showers through Saturday to limit smoke reaching Singapore (NEA). In Malaysia, no station recorded an unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) reading as of November 2, when 39 areas were Moderate and 29 Good, and the Department of Environment said the northeast monsoon’s winds should cut smoke from Sumatra (Malay Mail). The ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre’s regional haze alert, raised to Level 3 on August 26 (The Star), has since been lowered, Malay Mail reported, without giving the new level.

What to watch over the next few days

• Mayon: whether PHIVOLCS raises the alert to Level 4; the agency is watching seismic energy readings for signs of escalation.
• Thailand, November 5 to 9: storms in upper Thailand and Bangkok through November 7, then heavy to very heavy rain and flash-flood risk in the South from November 7 to 9.
• Northern Vietnam cold snap: the national forecast centre expects a strong cold air surge around November 8 to 9, the first widespread cold spell of the 2026–27 winter, with lows of 16 to 19°C in the North and North Central regions and below 13°C in some mountains (Thanh Nien).
• Central Vietnam rain, November 9 to 12: widespread heavy rain is possible from Thanh Hoa to Hue and Da Nang and the east of provinces from Quang Ngai to Dak Lak, with northeast winds and waves of 2 to 4 metres in the Gulf of Tonkin from the night of November 8.
• Typhoon In-fa: JMA’s forecast track takes it north-northeast to 45.6°N, 161.8°E by 9 p.m. November 6, Japan time, away from Southeast Asia.

About this article

This report summarises official bulletins and news reports from national weather, disaster and geological agencies across Southeast Asia; it is not an official warning, and readers should follow instructions from their national agencies and local authorities. Wind speeds are converted from knots (1 knot = 1.852 km/h) and distances from nautical miles (1 nautical mile = 1.852 km), and figures are attributed to the agency and date that issued them. Forecasts change quickly, and some agency figures lag events by a day or more.

Frequently asked questions

Is a typhoon heading for the Philippines or Vietnam? No. Typhoon In-fa is outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility and forecast to move north and northeast, away from the region. No other tropical cyclone was listed nearby.

What does Alert Level 3 at Mayon mean? PHIVOLCS describes Level 3 as an increased tendency towards a hazardous eruption. PHIVOLCS has said it is watching seismic indicators that could lead it to raise the alert to Level 4, and entry into the 6-km Permanent Danger Zone is barred.

Is it safe to travel to Bangkok this week? Thai authorities warn of thunderstorms, hail and floodwater collecting on Bangkok streets from November 5 to 7. Travellers should check Thai Meteorological Department updates.

Is the haze still a problem in Singapore and Malaysia? Air quality in Singapore was Moderate on November 4, and Malaysia reported no unhealthy readings on November 2. Showers and changing monsoon winds are expected to limit smoke, though smoke plumes persist over southern Kalimantan.

Sources

• JTWC Significant Tropical Weather Advisory, Western Pacific (November 3)
• JTWC Significant Tropical Weather Advisory, Indian Ocean (November 3)
• JMA tropical cyclone forecast data, In-fa (TC2637)
• Philstar: Rains seen over parts of Luzon, Visayas due to easterlies (November 4)
• GMA News: Cloudy skies, isolated rains expected in Luzon due to Amihan (November 4)
• Daily Tribune: Evacuees rose to almost 4,000 after Mayon spews another ash plume (November 3)
• Manila Times: Mayon continues to show heightened volcanic activity (November 2)
• GMA News: Kanlaon ash emissions (October 11)
• The Nation: Bangkok and 61 provinces on alert for storms and flash floods (November 3)
• The Nation: Weather alert covers Bangkok flood risks and heavy rain in the South (November 4)
• Malay Mail: Bridge collapses in Selangor as flash floods hit Sungai Buloh and Petaling (November 4)
• Malay Mail: MetMalaysia flags heavy storms nationwide until 7pm (November 4)
• Malay Mail: No unhealthy API readings, says DOE (November 2)
• The Star: Hotspots in Kalimantan, Sumatra hit decade high (October 15)
• NEA: Haze Situation Update (4 November 2026)
• Arina.id: BMKG warns of heavy to very heavy rain in 12 areas on November 5
• Kaltimtoday: BMKG high-wave warning, November 2 to 5
• Antara: Semeru erupts with pyroclastic flow (November 4)
• Tuoi Tre: Weather today, November 5
• Thanh Nien: North cold to 13°C, central region heavy rain for 4 days (November 4)
• USGS earthquake catalogue query, November 2 to 4