The Central Weather Bureau (CWB) yesterday said the second frontal system of the plum rain season was expected to arrive on Thursday. The plum rain season generally lasts from May to June. Rainfall accumulated during this period usually accounts for a quarter of annual rainfall.
The season’s first frontal system arrived yesterday, but the bureau said its structure was weak and that it did not carry much rain.
Aside from the east coast, cloudy to sunny skies are expected nationwide today as the frontal system gradually moves away. Temperatures are expected to be between 18°C to 28°C in the north, 18°C to 29°C in central regions, 21°C to 30°C in the south and 19°C to 27°C in the east.
Meanwhile, sunny skies are forecast nationwide tomorrow and on Wednesday, with daytime temperature potentially reaching 33°C. The bureau said the second frontal system would reach the nation on Thursday, which would affect weather over the weekend.
On Friday, the bureau also gave rainfall estimates for the plum rain season. For this month, rainfall in northern, central and eastern regions is expected to be within the normal range. The only exception was the south, which is expected to receive below-average rainfall.
The bureau also forecast that stationary fronts that usually lead to days of rain were unlikely to appear this week.
In related news, stargazers could be able to catch a glimpse of the Eta Aquarids on Thursday or Friday. Eta Aquarids is a meteor shower associated with Halley’s Comet. The Taipei Astrological Museum said in an online press release that the peak of the meteor shower was likely to appear on Thursday or Friday, when observers may be able to see up to 85 meteors in an hour under a clear dark sky.
The best time to observe the Eta Aquarids is between 2am and sunrise, the museum said, adding that the visibility of the meteor shower may be affected by moonlight.
UNILATERAL MOVES: Officials have raised concerns that Beijing could try to exert economic control over Kinmen in a key development plan next year The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) yesterday said that China has so far failed to provide any information about a new airport expected to open next year that is less than 10km from a Taiwanese airport, raising flight safety concerns. Xiamen Xiangan International Airport is only about 3km at its closest point from the islands in Kinmen County — the scene of on-off fighting during the Cold War — and construction work can be seen and heard clearly from the Taiwan side. In a written statement sent to Reuters, the CAA said that airports close to each other need detailed advanced
Tropical Storm Fung-Wong would likely strengthen into a typhoon later today as it continues moving westward across the Pacific before heading in Taiwan’s direction next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. As of 8am, Fung-Wong was about 2,190km east-southeast of Cape Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving westward at 25kph and possibly accelerating to 31kph, CWA data showed. The tropical storm is currently over waters east of the Philippines and still far from Taiwan, CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said, adding that it could likely strengthen into a typhoon later in the day. It is forecast to reach the South China Sea
WEATHER Typhoon forming: CWA A tropical depression is expected to form into a typhoon as early as today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the storm’s path remains uncertain. Before the weekend, it would move toward the Philippines, the agency said. Some time around Monday next week, it might reach a turning point, either veering north toward waters east of Taiwan or continuing westward across the Philippines, the CWA said. Meanwhile, the eye of Typhoon Kalmaegi was 1,310km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, as of 2am yesterday, it said. The storm is forecast to move through central
UNKNOWN TRAJECTORY: The storm could move in four possible directions, with the fourth option considered the most threatening to Taiwan, meteorologist Lin De-en said A soon-to-be-formed tropical storm east of the Philippines could begin affecting Taiwan on Wednesday next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The storm, to be named Fung-wong (鳳凰), is forecast to approach Taiwan on Tuesday next week and could begin affecting the weather in Taiwan on Wednesday, CWA forecaster Huang En-hung (黃恩鴻) said, adding that its impact might be amplified by the combined effect with the northeast monsoon. As of 2pm yesterday, the system’s center was 2,800km southeast of Oluanbi (鵝鑾鼻). It was moving northwest at 18kph. Meteorologist Lin De-en (林得恩) on Facebook yesterday wrote that the would-be storm is surrounded by