Northern and central Taiwan were inundated by heavy rains and thunderstorms this morning, but conditions are forecast to improve in the second half of the day, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA).
Taiwan's national weather agency said earlier today that a passing front had increased the likelihood of wet and stormy conditions across the country, and it advised the public to stay alert for lightning strikes and strong wind gusts.
However, the rain is expected to gradually ease in the afternoon, with only sporadic showers expected to persist in mountainous areas and in Hualien and Taitung counties, the CWA said.
Photo: Taipei Times
Other areas of Taiwan would be overcast later in the day, it forecast.
Temperature highs are set to range from 25 to 28°C in central, eastern, and northern Taiwan, while southern areas may experience highs of up to 32°C, according to the CWA.
It also warned of strong southwesterly winds, especially near Hengchun Peninsula in the south, as well as on Taitung County's outlying Lanyu Island and Green Island.
These areas could experience sustained winds of 39-50 kilometers per hour, with gusts of 62-75 kph, the CWA said, urging caution for those planning to engage in coastal activities.
Meanwhile, foggy conditions may affect visibility in Kinmen County and the Matsu Islands, according to the weather agency.
From tomorrow through Saturday afternoon, the weather across Taiwan is forecast to be partly cloudy to sunny, though mountainous regions and the eastern half of Taiwan may see occasional localized light rain, according to independent meteorologist Wu Der-rong (吳德榮).
A fast-moving weather front would bring scattered showers or thunderstorms to all of Taiwan Saturday afternoon into early Sunday, he said today.
Temperatures are expected to drop as the front passes, but conditions should quickly improve later Sunday morning, Wu said.
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