Temperatures are forecast to increase nationwide on Friday, as a cold air mass that hovered above Taiwan during the New Year holiday is expected to weaken slightly today and tomorrow, the Central Weather Bureau said yesterday.
However, the weather might remain wet and cold until Friday, as a cloud system in the south limits the temperature increase, the bureau said.
Rain would persist in northern and northeastern regions, with a likelihood of isolated showers in northern Taiwan and brief showers in the east, it said.
Photo: CNA
Cloudy skies are forecast for central and southern Taiwan as well as southeastern regions, with slight chances of rain.
Chances of snowfall would be high today on mountains higher than 3,000m, depending on temperature and humidity, the bureau said.
The bureau advised people traveling to the seaside or the mountains to stay warm, citing strong northeasterly winds and rain.
The mercury is to gradually rise on Friday and Saturday as the cold air mass dissipates and humid air from the south moves in, it said, forecasting cloudy skies for most of central and southern Taiwan, except in mountainous areas.
Chances of brief showers would be high in northern and eastern Taiwan, the bureau said.
Highs in the north and the east are to rise to 26°C, while those in central and southern Taiwan could climb to 28°C, it said.
However, cooler temperatures would persist in the early morning and late at night, with lows of 16°C forecast for northern Taiwan, the bureau said.
The northeast monsoon is expected to strengthen again on Sunday, bringing the lows in the north down to 13°C on Monday.
Brief showers are forecast for northern and eastern Taiwan, while cloudy to sunny skies are forecast for the rest of the nation.
A tropical depression in the South China Sea was at 2pm yesterday upgraded to this year’s first tropical storm, which was named “Pabuk” after a big freshwater fish in Laotian, the bureau said.
The storm’s center was 2,090km southwest of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), moving southwest at 13kph.
The storm is forecast to move toward Indochina or the Malay Peninsula and has a very low chance of directly affecting Taiwan, it said.
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