Sat, Nov 27, 2021 page3

• Avoid consuming alcohol while hiking, park says

  WEATHER UPDATE: The CWB forecast two cold fronts driving the mercury down to 13oC next week, and less seasonal rainfall this winter due to La Nina

  • By Hsieh Chieh-yu and William Hetherington / Staff reporter, with staff writer and CNA
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  Hikers going to high altitudes where temperatures are significantly lower should avoid alcohol consumption, which does not warm the body and could cause harm, the Yushan National Park Administration Office said.

  Alcohol consumption causes the blood vessels near the body’s surface to expand, which causes the illusion of warmth due to heat loss through the skin, the office said on Sunday.

  A hiker experiencing such heat loss from alcohol might be at risk of hypothermia, it added.

  

  A hiker on Nantou County’s Yushan is pictured in an undated photograph.

  Photo: Hsieh Chieh-yu, Taipei Times

  “Those experiencing hypothermia might only have three hours to live if they cannot find help,” it said. “Comparably, someone experiencing dehydration might survive for three days, or without food, could survive for up to three weeks.”

  One of the dangers of drinking while hiking is that alcohol increases a person’s oxygen-intake need, which in turn increases the risk of altitude sickness, it said.

  “Of course, another major risk is that a person’s judgement and focus are impaired when under the influence of alcohol. That makes it easier for them to slip and fall off a cliffside trail,” it said.

  To stay warm while hiking, hikers should wear several layers, including an inner sweat-resistant layer, it said.

  Middle layers should be made from warm synthetic fibers or contain down, and the outer layer should be a water-resistant wind breaker, it said, adding that warm hats and backpacks containing spare clothes are recommended.

  “Hiking is an endurance activity and a form of cardiovascular exercise, so it is important to ensure proper calorie intake, and to be aware of physiological changes,” it said. “Those with high blood pressure or related health conditions should not push themselves too much on a hike.”

  In related news, the Central Weather Bureau yesterday said that two back-to-back cold weather fronts are forecast to hit the nation next week, with low-lying areas in the north likely to see temperatures dip as low as 13oC.

  An approaching front and the strengthening of a northeasterly wind system are forecast to affect northern areas from Tuesday, sending temperatures lower, the bureau said.

  Brief showers can also be expected in some northern and eastern areas during the day, while temperatures in areas north of Taichung could dip to as low as 13oC early in the morning of Wednesday and Thursday, it said.

  The cold air system is expected to weaken on Friday next week, before the arrival of another, stronger front nearing the level of a continental cold air mass the following day, it added.

  Meanwhile, Lu Kuo-chen (呂國臣), director of the bureau’s Weather Forecast Center, said that Taiwan this winter would probably get less seasonal rainfall due to a La Nina episode carried on from last year.

  However, due to global warming, coupled with the weakening effect of La Nina in January and February, average temperatures would not be anything out of the ordinary this winter, Lu added.

  Taiwan usually receives about 8 to 12 cold weather fronts each winter, including one to three cold surges that are especially intense, the bureau said.
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