With a continental cold air mass approaching, temperatures are expected to dip to as low as 9°C next week, the Central Weather Bureau (CWB) said yesterday.
The cold air system is expected to hit the nation tomorrow night and its momentum is likely to peak early on Tuesday morning, plunging temperatures to between 12°C and 14°C in most low-lying areas north of Tainan, while some open areas could experience lows of 9°C or 10°C, the bureau said.
The cold air mass is expected to start dissipating on Wednesday, it said, adding that the system is expected to move quickly and bring strong winds.
Photo courtesy of the Central Weather Bureau
Amid the low temperatures, dry conditions are likely, as there is little moisture in the cold air system, it added.
Citing a European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts model, Wu Der-rong (吳德榮), an adjunct associate professor of atmospheric sciences at National Central University, said that the weather in northern and northeastern Taiwan would change quickly as the cold air mass moves in.
Wu said that temperatures in some low-lying areas could even fall to 8°C early on Tuesday and Wednesday due to the radiative cooling effect — the cooling of the ground at night under clear skies, light winds and dry conditions.
Cloudy or sunny skies would be likely in most of the nation when the system arrives, he said.
Meanwhile, the Environmental Protection Administration said an easterly wind system is expected to cause poor air quality in most of Taiwan over the next two days, adding that some parts of the nation could see an “orange” alert on the air quality index, meaning the air quality would be unhealthy for sensitive groups.
Measures have been taken to minimize damage from Chinese espionage, the Ministry of National Defense said on Monday, in response to an alleged plan to deliver a Chinook helicopter to the Chinese People’s Liberation Army. The Chinese-language CTWANT magazine earlier in the day reported that a lieutenant colonel surnamed Hsieh (謝) was approached by Chinese officers with an offer to evacuate his family to Thailand in the event of a cross-strait conflict. In exchange, Hsieh was asked to fly a CH-47F Chinook helicopter to a Chinese aircraft carrier in the Taiwan Strait, the magazine said. Hsieh initially declined, but accepted after he was
SAFETY IN REGULATION: The proposal states that Chiayi should assess whether it is viable to establish such a district and draft rules to protect clients and sex workers The Chiayi City Council passed a motion yesterday to assess the viability of establishing a regulated red-light district. The council yesterday held its last session of the year, at which its fiscal 2024 budget was approved, along with 61 other proposals. The proposal to assess the viability of establishing a red-light district was put forward by independent Chiayi City Councilor Molly Yen (顏色不分藍綠支持性專區顏色田慎節). The proposal cited 2011 amendments to the Social Order Maintenance Act (社會秩序維護法), which stipulate that city and county governments can pass autonomous regulations on the sex trade to manage the industry and guarantee industry workers’ rights. A ban on the
STABILITY AND CHANGE: Flagging in recent polls, Ko this week pledged to maintain President Tsai’s foreign policy, with an emphasis on improving China relations Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chairman and presidential candidate Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) yesterday reiterated that he is “deep-green at heart” in response to accusations that he is pivoting his campaign to align closer with the ideology of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in the face of flagging polls. Ko made the remark at an agricultural policy conference in Taipei, repeating his comments from an interview with CTS News a day earlier. Ko told the CTS host that he would continue to pursue President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) national defense and foreign policy in general, but with an emphasis on establishing a rapport with
CHINA illness surge: Of 88 travelers from China, Hong Kong and Macau with respiratory symptoms who were encouraged to get tested upon arrival, 70.6% had the flu Two hundred and sixty people with COVID-19 were hospitalized and 31 deaths related to the virus were reported last week — the highest numbers in four weeks, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday, adding that cases are expected to peak next month. CDC Epidemic Intelligence Center Director Guo Hung-wei (郭宏偉) said that of the 260 people hospitalized last week with moderate to severe COVID-19, 98 percent had not received the Omicron XBB.1.5-adapted COVID-19 vaccine. Among the people hospitalized this year, 78 percent were aged 65 or older, while most of the those who were hospitalized or died have or had