Taiwan Quick Take: Hottest day so far this year

The mercury in Taipei rose to 37.4 degrees Celsius at 2:59pm yesterday, the highest so far this summer, while the temperature in Keelung hit 37.1 degrees Celsius 18 minutes earlier -- marking one of the top 10 thermometer readings for July in the history of the port city. The Central Weather Bureau said Taipei's temperature reached 36.9 degrees Celsius at 2:20pm, rising to 37.1 degrees Celsius at 2:43pm and 37.4 degrees Celsius at 2:59pm. The temperature hit 37.1 degrees Celsius at 2:41pm in Keelung, which saw its record July temperature of 38.8 degrees Celsius in 1988. The hot weather has been caused by a high pressure system in the Pacific, compounded by a typhoon's sinking air current, meteorologists said.