Taiwan last week saw its first full week of “extremely heavy” rain since 1998, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday.
The CWA defines extremely heavy rain as when 24-hour accumulated rainfall exceeds 200mm, or accumulated rainfall exceeds 100mm in three hours
The CWA made the statement during a news conference after lifting the week-long rain advisory it had named the “0728 Southwesterly Airflow Extremely Heavy Rain Incident.”
Photo: CNA
CWA Weather Forecast Center Director Chen Yi-liang (陳怡良) said that the week between Monday last week and yesterday was the first time since 1998 that observation stations in central and southern parts of Taiwan measured more than 200mm of rain every day.
Short bursts and extended rain blanketed the entirety of southern and central Taiwan, with 17 municipalities across Nantou, Yunlin, Chiayi and Pingtung counties, as well as Tainan and Kaohsiung, experiencing extremely torrential rain, he said.
During the week, certain areas saw torrential rain, with precipitation reaching more than 200mm in three hours, he added.
Such weather patterns lasted for five days straight in a number of locations in central and southern Taiwan, Chen said, adding that the accumulated rain came close to the record set by Typhoon Morakot in 2009.
Morakot set a record of 3,060mm over five days at Chiayi County’s Alishan Township, CWA data showed.
From Monday last week to yesterday 2pm, the most rain observed was 2,873.5mm in Kaohsiung’s Duona forest trail, the CWA said.
Chen said that rain reached torrential and “extremely torrential” levels in certain areas in two waves, the first from Monday to Thursday last week and the second from Friday to Sunday last week.
The main reason behind the week-long rain was the changes between strengthening and weakening southwesterly airflow above the Bashi Channel, he said.
The effects of the airflow were most prevalent between Wednesday and Thursday last week, when it covered central and southern Taiwan in significant rainfall.
Due to the decreased chance of large-scale and intense heavy rain, the CWA lifted the advisory of the week-long rain at noon yesterday.
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