Temperatures soared for a second day in a row yesterday, as the mercury topped 37.8 degrees Celsius in Taipei at 12:46pm, beating Thursday's high of 36.7 degrees.
According to Central Weather Bureau statistics, yesterday was the hottest June day since June 17, 1954, when the same temperature was reached. The hottest day since records have been kept in Taiwan was July 31, 1921, when the temperature reached 38.6 degrees Celsius. The 38-degree level has only been surpassed eight times since records have been kept.
Though not breaking the 35-degree mark, other areas also had high temperatures yesterday, reaching 34.9 degrees in Keelung and Tainan counties, 34.3 degrees in Chiayi County, and 34.2 degrees in Ilan County. According to the weather bureau, Taipei's high density of buildings and its geographical position on the island contributed to the high temperatures reached.
The weather bureau also reported that the risk of new typhoons hitting Taiwan at the moment is low. The current low-pressure belt in the South China Sea and over the seas east of the Philippines is not conducive to forming typhoons, the bureau said.
At a bureau meeting to discuss the typhoon season, the weather bureau said an average of 27 typhoons form every year in the North Pacific and South China Sea region, of which three to four affect Taiwan.
Due to lower ocean surface temperatures over the last three years, fewer typhoons have been forming in the region. Three years ago, only 17 typhoons were formed, while last year and the year before saw 23 each.
With ocean temperatures now heading back to normal, there's a possibility of more typhoons forming this year than in the past few years.
It is estimated that in addition to the two typhoons that have already hit Taiwan this year, another three to five typhoons may come our way between July and September.
RSS