Hehuanshan (合歡山) in central Taiwan yesterday saw its heaviest snowfall this winter, with more than 10cm of snow accumulating.
A strong cold air mass and moisture brought the snow to the mountain that spans Hualien and Nantou counties from late Wednesday to the early hours of yesterday.
As of 9am, more than 10cm of snow had collected in certain areas of the mountain. If the cold weather persists, the snow is expected to remain until the weekend, Forestry Bureau officials said.
Photo courtesy of Taroko National Park Headquarters
To ensure road traffic safety, the Directorate-General of Highways Second Maintenance Office yesterday dispatched a snowplow to clear roads.
It has also limited traffic on a section of Provincial Highway No. 14, which provides access to the mountain, to vehicles with tire chains.
Snow has also fallen on Yushan (玉山) — Taiwan’s highest peak — and Hsuehshan (雪山) in central Taiwan.
As of 8:50am, 9cm of snow had been recorded on Yushan, Central Weather Bureau data showed.
Hsuehshan saw drifts of up to 30cm on parts of the mountain 3,000m above sea level.
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