On a night when Hanoi's temperature plunged to just 12°C (54°F), groups of young people took to the streets, strolling, sipping coffee, and even lingering until late at night to fully experience the biting cold that seeped into their bones.

As temperatures dropped to their lowest since the beginning of the year, the cold weather did not deter many from gathering around outdoor fire pits, embracing the winter chill in the city.

Hanoi’s midnight chill: A city wrapped in cold air

At 11 p.m. on February 8, popular cafés around West Lake were still buzzing with customers, drawn to the warmth of open fires as they embraced the deep winter cold.

By 12:30 a.m., a few young people continued to walk along the Hoan Kiem pedestrian streets, braving the continuous gusts of icy wind. Meanwhile, couples lingered on benches by the lake, though the number of visitors in the city center was noticeably lower than usual.

Even late at night, international tourists could still be seen exploring Hanoi, eager to experience the city's nightlife and winter atmosphere.

Near Ta Hien Street, a group of young men huddled together after leaving a dining spot, shivering as they searched for a taxi to take them home.

On Hanoi’s Old Quarter streets, some shop owners kept their pets warm against the cold. One small dog named Tom was snugly wrapped in his owner’s coat as she waited for customers outside a store.

At the entrance of Luong Ngoc Quyen Street, an elderly man bundled up in thick layers, wrapped a scarf around his neck, and covered his ears as he rested on his parked motorbike.

Surviving the cold: Fires, layers, and makeshift shelters

At Tran Nhan Tong Street, Ngo Trong Minh, a security guard, carefully used umbrellas to block the wind from his makeshift bed on the sidewalk.

"Lately, it's been raining at night, and the temperature has dropped even further. Every shift, I set up barriers like this to shield myself from the wind and turn on a small heater at my feet to stay warm," he said.

As the temperature continued to plummet, many late-night eateries in the Old Quarter saw fewer customers than usual, with vendors packing up earlier than normal.

At Dong Xuan Night Market, a street vendor sat curled up, waiting for customers. By 12:30 a.m., many shopkeepers had already started packing up, opting to close early to escape the bitter cold.

By 2 a.m., Hanoi's temperature had dropped further to 12°C (54°F), with both vendors and customers rushing to complete transactions before retreating to warmer spaces. Some even put on raincoats as an extra layer against the chilling wind.

More freezing days ahead for Hanoi and northern Vietnam

According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, on February 8, cold air continued to spread further south, reaching parts of Central and South-Central Vietnam.

Inland areas experienced northeasterly winds at levels 3-4, with gusts reaching level 6 in some coastal regions.

On February 9, the bitter cold persisted across northern Vietnam, with lows of 9-12°C in most areas, 5-8°C in the mountains, and below 3°C in some high-altitude regions.

Daytime temperatures across the north ranged from 13-15°C, while mountainous areas saw highs of 11-13°C.

In Hanoi, the forecast for February 9 predicted cloudy skies with scattered rain, northeasterly winds at level 3, and ongoing cold conditions.

Low temperatures: 10-13°C 

High temperatures: 15-18°C 

This cold spell is expected to last until February 10, with snowfall and ice possible in the highest mountainous regions of northern Vietnam.

Thach Thao