Temperatures could drop to 21°C this week due to a northeast monsoon, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday.
With the monsoon, temperatures in the north and northeast would gradually fall from today until Wednesday, it said, adding that chances of isolated heavy showers in the regions would also be high.
Cloudy to sunny skies are forecast for the rest of the country, with heavy afternoon thundershowers possible in central and southern Taiwan, the CWA said.
Photo provide by the Central Weather Administration
From Thursday to Saturday, isolated showers are likely only in areas north of Taoyuan and the east coast, while cloudy to sunny skies are forecast for the rest of the nation, it said.
However, chances of isolated afternoon thundershowers remain high in mountainous areas and the south, it added.
The northeast monsoon is forecast to weaken by Sunday, it said.
From today to Saturday, highs would be 26°C to 30°C in the north, northeast and east; 28°C to 32°C in central, south and southeast Taiwan; 27°C to 29°C in Penghu County; 27°C to 30°C in Kinmen County; and 23°C to 26°C in Lienchiang County (Matsu).
Lows are to be 25°C to 26°C in Penghu, 22°C to 25°C in Kinmen, 21°C to 23°C in Matsu and 21°C to 25°C in other parts of the nation, it said.
Meanwhile, the CWA defended its forecast for Typhoon Krathon, saying it had issued alerts of extremely torrential rain multiple times on Friday.
The agency made the statement after National Taiwan University’s Center for Weather Climate and Disaster Research said the CWA had underestimated the rainfall after the typhoon was downgraded to a tropical depression.
Such drastic rainfall can only be observed through radar echo systems, and heavy rainfall could often occur by the time an alert is issued, the center said.
Heavy rain on Friday led to severe flooding in Keelung and some districts in New Taipei City, where a couple was killed in Jinshan District (金山).
The CWA said it on Friday issued two alerts for extremely torrential rain, two alerts for torrential rain and five alerts for extremely heavy rainfall.
The agency also sent 13 instant messages for thundershowers on Friday, five of which were sent through the cell broadcasting system, it said.
“Krathon was first downgraded to a tropical depression early on Friday morning and reduced to a regular depression by Friday morning. The rain in the north coast intensified again from Friday afternoon due to the combined influence of humidity at the depression’s outer rim, a northeast monsoon, topography and intense rainfall,” it said.
Due to the small scale and rapid changes of this type of rainfall, coupled with the influence of complex terrain, the ability of meteorological units to forecast in advance is limited, and most of them rely on real-time monitoring data to assist in issuing early warnings, it said.
While rain mainly fell over the sea on Friday morning, a “convection burst” — a weak low-pressure circulation — appeared on waters off the northeast coast, former CWA administrator Cheng Ming-dean (鄭明典) posted online along with an infrared cloud chart.
“This weak low-pressure circulation develops a cloud belt extending toward the coast. At this time, a strong convection gradually developed on elevated terrain. Although the life span of the circulation was short, it brought heavy rainfall to the north coast,” he said.
Cheng proposed that Krathon be retired from the international typhoon name list because of its uniqueness.
The CWA said the name cannot be changed, as Taiwan is not a member of the World Meteorological Organization.
Typhoon Morakot was removed from the name list because it had caused catastrophic damage not only in Taiwan, but also in other countries, the CWA said, adding that Taiwan simply accepted the unanimous decision from the organization.
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