The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued low-temperature alerts for 10 cities and counties across Taiwan amid a strong continental cold air mass that is to grip much of Taiwan through Friday.
The CWA issued an orange low-temperature alert for areas north of Hsinchu, including New Taipei City, Keelung, Taipei, Taoyuan and Hsinchu County, indicating that they could see sustained temperatures of about 10°C or lower.
Photo: Taipei Times
A yellow alert was issued for Miaoli, Nantou, Yunlin and Chiayi counties and the outlying Kinmen County, indicating that temperatures in low-lying areas could dip below 10°C.
The lowest temperature recorded in low-lying areas of Taiwan (excluding its outlying counties) early today was 8.9°C in Gukeng Township (古坑) in Yunlin County, followed by 9.2°C in Shihmen District (石門) in New Taipei City, CWA data showed.
The CWA also issued a heavy rain advisory, saying localized heavy rainfall is likely along the Keelung coast and in mountainous parts of Taipei and New Taipei City through this evening due to prevailing northeasterly winds.
The agency warned of strong northeasterly winds from this morning through tomorrow in parts of western, southern and eastern Taiwan, with sustained winds of 41kph to 51kph or gusts of up to 63kph to 75kph.
Independent meteorologist Wu De-rong (吳德榮), an adjunct associate professor at National Central University's Department of Atmospheric Sciences, said the latest European model simulations show cold air is to dominate weather conditions until Friday.
Northern Taiwan would remain cold and damp today and tomorrow, with occasional rain, while snowfall is possible in mountainous areas above 2,000m, Wu said.
Conditions in northern Taiwan are expected to turn mostly cloudy starting on Friday, while eastern Taiwan may still see sporadic showers, Wu said.
Central and southern Taiwan would be partly cloudy to sunny through Friday, with cool daytime temperatures and cold mornings and evenings, Wu said, adding that the lowest temperatures in low-lying areas could drop to about 8°C.
Looking ahead, Wu said models indicate generally stable weather from Saturday to Tuesday next week, with temperatures gradually rising.
Weaker northeasterly winds would then move south from Tuesday to Friday, bringing cooler temperatures and rain to northern and eastern Taiwan, Wu said.
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