A strong continental cold air mass and radiative cooling sent temperatures plunging across Taiwan early yesterday, with the lowest recorded temperature in low-lying areas down to 4.8°C in Hsinchu County’s Guansi Township (關西), the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said.
The next-lowest temperature was 5.5°C recorded in Miaoli County’s Touwu Township (頭屋), it said.
The temperatures rebounded during the daytime, with highs of 21°C to 23°C in central and northern Taiwan as well as eastern regions, 24°C in the south, and lows of 10 to 12°C in central and northern Taiwan and the northeast, and 14°C to 16°C in southern Taiwan and eastern areas, it said.
Another strong continental cold air mass is forecast to move south from today into tomorrow, driving temperatures down.
Brief showers are expected in areas north of Taoyuan, as well as northeastern and eastern Taiwan, the CWA said.
Independent meteorologist Daniel Wu (吳德榮) said the cold air mass, expected to dominate Taiwan from Wednesday through Saturday, could bring even lower early-morning temperatures due to stable, clear conditions that aid radiative cooling.
Lows could be below 5°C, which would be the first officially classified cold surge of the winter.
The CWA defines a cold surge as conditions in which temperatures at the Taipei weather station fall to 10°C or lower.
Separately, doctors urged people to stay warm, especially elderly people.
According to statistics from the Changhua County Fire Department, between 8am on Friday and 8am yesterday, 88 people in the county were hospitalized due to suspected myocardial infarction or other illnesses. Among them, six elderly people were transported for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, and all six cases occurred late at night or in the early morning.
Although cold weather cannot be confirmed as the cause of injury for all of them, doctors said people should pay attention to the health conditions of elderly family members and young children, and if they detect any discomfort, they should seek medical attention immediately.
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