A strong cold spell will hit northern Vietnam this week, the National Hydro-meteorology Forecast Center said Monday.

The center said the cold spell will start in some northern provinces on Wednesday and affect the whole region on Friday.

It will also bring rain to some north-central provinces, according to the center.

During the cold spell, rough seas and strong winds will occur off the northern coast. 

The temperature in Hanoi and northern provinces ranged from 16-19 degrees Celsius in the last few days.

Accuweather forecast that it can fall to 14 degrees in Hanoi this week.