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CWB advises revelers to bundle up for chilly New Year

Those planning to ring in the New Year outdoors will need to wrap up this year. The Central Weather Bureau (CWB) said yesterday the temperature on New Year's Eve could drop as low as 7oC.

Daniel Wu (吳德榮), director of the bureau's weather forecast center, said a cold mass would arrive in Taiwan today from the north. The cold mass would then gradually evolve into a more forceful cold front, which would affect the nation until Thursday, he said.

Over the weekend, daily low temperatures of between 8oC and 10oC are expected in the north, with lows of between 12oC and 14oC expected in the south and east.

Wu said the temperature in Taipei City on New Year's Eve is forecast to be about 10oC.

From tomorrow until Thursday, temperatures north of Tainan County, Kinmen and Matsu are unlikely to go above 10oC, he said.

The temperature would begin the rise slowly on Thursday morning, but nighttime temperatures would remain low, Wu said.

A low-temperature alert was issued by the bureau to residents in the above areas.

Wu said the average temperature this winter would probably fall within the normal range.

"The `La Nina' effect has been continuing for months, which may help lower temperatures. However, because of global warming, it is still possible that we won't get really low temperatures," he said.

Beginning this afternoon, the cold front would also bring with it 100mg to 150mg of dust per cubic meter, which will affect the nation's air quality, the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) said yesterday.

"The baseline for dust density is about 50mg per cubic meter in Taipei," said Chang Shun-ching (張順欽), a senior specialist with the EPA's department of environmental monitoring and information management. "Though in terms of dust levels, the condition is moderate, the cold weather over the weekend combined with the pollutant particles in the dust, makes wearing a mask recommended for those going outdoors, particularly for people with heart or respiratory conditions."

Strenuous outdoor activities should be avoided, he said.

To receive up-to-date information on air quality, visit the EPA's Web site at www.epa.gov.tw.

ADDITIONAL reporting by Meggie Lu
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