The nation’s average temperatures have risen 1.5°C over the past century, a joint research project led by the Central Weather Administration (CWA) showed.
In the report to the legislature’s Transportation Committee yesterday, the CWA said extreme temperatures would become more common, with fewer spring showers.
Plum rains are expected to become more intense, it said, adding that there would be fewer typhoons affecting Taiwan, but those that do would be stronger and bring more rain.
Photo: Peter Lo, Taipei Times
The agency said it is still developing its next-generation severe weather monitoring system to improve predictions.
The Water Resources Agency (WRA) is also developing a drought warning system that has monitoring stations across the country with a resolution of 1km, it said, adding it would be able to provide drought forecasts one to three months in advance.
There would be new shoreline wind forecasts this typhoon season to assist local governments in deciding when to cancel work and school, the CWA said.
Severe rain forecasts are updated every three hours, and a warning system is also in place to send notifications when flash flooding is likely in mountainous regions, it said.
In related news, the WRA said that a weather front brought 19.08 million cubic meters of precipitation to reservoirs across the nation over the past three days, mainly in northern Taiwan.
From 7am on Friday to 7am yesterday, Sinshan (新山水庫), Shihmen (石門水庫), Feitsui (翡翠水庫) and Baoshan Second (寶二水庫) reservoirs, and Yuanshan Weir (鳶山堰) in the north collected 9.9 million cubic meters of rainwater, with Feitsui Reservoir receiving the most at 3.9 million cubic meters, WRA data showed.
Sinshan was at 92.7 percent capacity yesterday morning, Feitsui was at 75.4 percent, Shihmen was at 28.3 percent and Baoshan Second was at 36.9 percent.
In central Taiwan, Yongheshan (永和山水庫), Mingde (明德水庫), Liyutan (鯉魚潭水庫), Deji (德基水庫), Hushan (湖山水庫), Sun Moon Lake (日月潭水庫) and Wushe (霧社水庫) reservoirs received 8.6 million cubic meters of rainwater, with Deji Reservoir collecting the most at 2.8 million cubic meters.
As of yesterday morning, the Liyutan, Deji and Sun Moon Lake reservoirs were at 33.6 percent, 55 percent and 73.5 percent capacity respectively.
In the south, the Zengwen (曾文水庫), Wushantou (烏山頭水庫) and Nanhua (南化水庫) reservoirs received a total of 500,000 cubic meters of rainwater, and were at 79.1 percent, 43.3 percent and 37.5 percent capacity respectively.
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