Weather and riding in the north...

[WarProfiteer]

Question for the guys who've been living and riding in north Thailand for multiple years...

Seems to me that a lot of people have differing opinions on weather or not the north even has a rainy season. I told a friend I wanted to do the MHS loop again, but figured I'd get rained on about half the time, so I was unsure about doing it. He laughed and tried to assure me that there is no rainy season here in the north. Hmmm... that's odd, it's been damn cloudy and drizzly every day for about a month straight now.

That said, I recently did a 3 day run around the north, eventually hitting Nan, then coming back... and we really only had a few hours worth of rain on day 2. The rest of the time it was cloudy, which we liked because it was never too hot, and it didnt really rain... a few minutes of slight drizzle was all we ever really saw.

I look at the mountains and every day it looks dark and threatening and I think "I want to ride, but I dont want get rained on", so I end up staying home.

Anyway, just looking for input and thoughts from guys who've lived here and rode for multiple years now...

 

[Loop]

Seems generally June to Nov the higher you get the more chance you get of being rained on in the day time.
Dec to May you generally don`t have to worry about getting wet.

Some friends went to MHS on thursday and have reported no rain at all....next week or even tomorrow might be different...your call.

Every year is different too but it`s definitely rainy season now.

 

[WarProfiteer]

Much appreciated, Lew... was thinking about taking the she-wok with me this time. She will definitely have strong feelings about getting rained on, haha.

 

[alexuk]

I was just going out today when it started raining.I could see there was rain both sides of me. I was all ready so I hung on a few minutes, and it seemed to stop.
so I went by Huay Tung Tao,was fairly dry, as I went up doi suthep, it was dry, so carried on, and then near the top, I could see the cloud inversion below,it was really nice, and it stayed dry till I got back
Here the rain is very localised, it can rain in one place, and not a few streets away. Or on one side of the mountain only,and normally higher up, but not today.
Thats only chiang mai now, will get wetter soon, and I was told that it rains all the time on the MHS-Mae Sarieng road, most of the year.

 

[Captain_Slash]

I was told that it rains all the time on the MHS-Mae Sarieng road, most of the year.

I have seldom seen it rain along there Alex and I have rode there many times

 

[The Bigfella]

I was told that it rains all the time on the MHS-Mae Sarieng road, most of the year.

That's the only part of the MHS Loop that I haven't done (cheated and went via the elephant trail last time). It sure rains on the Mae Sot to Mae Sarieng bit.... and also across to CM

 

[bsacbob]

Over in CR we expect the rain late afternoon, but i find the best thing is to just get out. If it rains ride through it, you get to wash your gear for free and as soon as the suns gets out its dried for free also.

Buy the GF some waterproofs and your good to go.

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

 

[Captain_Slash]

Over in CR we expect the rain late afternoon, but i find the best thing is to just get out. If it rains ride through it, you get to wash your gear for free and as soon as the suns gets out its dried for free also.

Buy the GF some waterproofs and your good to go.

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

Good advice Bob and the words of a real rider not a fair weather fairy

 

[marcusb]

This is 40 k or so south of Mae Sariang. It was funny, I met a few people in the hotel in Mae S one night, the next day we were all going different directions, south, north and east. We all said goodbye in the morning and set off. By noon we were all back at the hotel, highways were closed every direction. Next day all was fine, and it wasn't a bad experience it was fun.
I like touring in the rainy season, there is no smoke or dust, the photography can be beautiful, and most of the time when it rains it's only for a short while. Special thanks to the folks that put those bus shelters on the highways, I have met some nice folk and had some good conversation while we wait for the rain to stop.

 

[WarProfiteer]

Special thanks to the folks that put those bus shelters on the highways, I have met some nice folk and had some good conversation while we wait for the rain to stop.

Lulz, had the same here... many a good convo w/ folks in small places I would've never stopped in if it werent for the rain and the dry bus stops.

Well, me and the she-wok just got back from taking our chances and riding the MHS loop over the last 2 days. Not a drop of rain fell upon us as we rode, though it was cloudy all the time and we did hit stretches of wet road, letting us know that it had indeed rained but we'd missed it. Or it missed us.

Once in the hotel (N'gatma?) in Mae Hong Son, we showered and hit 7-11 for room stuff, then the restaurant across the street. As soon as we finished our order, it started to rain. It continued to do so for the next 2-3 hours. In some ways it was annoying, as it kept us in the room watching tv and playing games on the phone, rather than exploring the town and walking the little night market. But, I was still grateful that the rain came then, rather than when we were on the road.

Anyway, I do think there is a rainy season in the north, but that you take your chances as the showers tend to be very localized... odds are that it will rain every day- somewhere. The question is, will it rain where you are at the moment? Or is it raining where you're headed? Who knows...