The weather in Taiwan is expected to become unstable as a frontal weather system approaches ahead of the Tomb Sweeping Festival from Friday to Monday next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday.
With the approach of a frontal system tomorrow, northern and northeastern Taiwan would see intermittent showers or thunderstorms, as well as slightly cooler temperatures, it said.
As the system moves across the nation, rain would spread to central regions and likely intensify in the north and central areas before easing on Thursday, the CWA said.
Photo courtesy of the Central Weather Administration
However, another weather front is expected to approach shortly afterward, bringing more widespread showers or thunderstorms across much of Taiwan during the four-day weekend, it added.
Independent meteorologist Daniel Wu (吳德榮) said the second front might linger near Taiwan during the holidays, causing occasional heavy rain, strong wind gusts and lightning.
In other news, the CWA said a magnitude 4.7 earthquake struck Pingtung County at 11:12am yesterday.
There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.
The epicenter was in Pingtung’s Laiyi Township (來義), about 29.3km south-southeast of the Pingtung County Government building, at a depth of 23.3km, it said.
The CWA’s Seismological Center said the earthquake occurred in a relatively rare location — what seismology calls a “seismic gap.”
The event might help release accumulated energy, it said, but added that caution is still advised, as magnitude 4 to 4.5 aftershocks could occur within the next three to five days.
The earthquake’s intensity was highest in Pingtung County, where it measured 3 on Taiwan’s seven-tier intensity scale.
The quake also measured an intensity of 2 in Kaohsiung, Taitung County, Tainan and Chiayi County, the CWA said.
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