Plum rain front storms toward Taiwan

梅雨暴雨攻向台灣

Plum rain front to bring 'disastrous precipitation' to Taiwan through Fri.


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) -- Much of Taiwan will see rain today (June 10), as a plum rain front gathers steam and prepares to hover over the country and potentially bring "disastrous precipitation" throughout the week.

The fifth front of the plum rain season is to hover over Taiwan from Tuesday (June 11) to Friday (June 14), when it will enter its most unstable period since May, according to Wu Der-rong (吳德榮), an adjunct associate professor of atmospheric sciences at National Central University. Wu said that hot air blowing over the mountains of southeastern Taiwan will bring scorching weather to the area.

On Tuesday, Wu said that there will be severe weather, including lightning strikes, strong winds, and sudden heavy downpours. Wu said that residents should beware of potentially "disastrous levels of precipitation" that day.

In his weather report for SET News Channel, Wu said that according to the latest model by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), a stationary front has returned to the waters off of northern Taiwan today. He said that although it will not directly strike Taiwan today, it will still cause the weather to be unstable.

Due to the effects of convection on southwest winds rolling over Taiwan's terrain, local rainfall is likely in coastal areas of northern Taiwan, western Taiwan, and northeastern Taiwan. The thermal effect in the afternoon will also enhance the intensity of local showers or generate thunderstorms.

Today's temperatures will be slightly lower due to increased clouds, but will still be relatively hot. Temperatures in Taiwan during the day today will range between 25 and 32 degrees in northern Taiwan, 26 to 33 degrees in central Taiwan, 26 to 34 degrees in southern Taiwan, and 24 to 36 degrees in eastern Taiwan. Wu reminded residents of southeast Taiwan that temperatures will be baking today due to "mountain subsidence," and to wear proper sunscreen and stay hydrated.

Wu said that the stationary front that looks to be hovering over Taiwan through Friday will be accompanied by southwest winds to form a "circulation pattern" which is conducive to the development of a "mesoscale convection system" and will stimulate "severe weather." Wu said that there is a high probability of "disastrous precipitation" and special attention should be paid to instant messages and special reports from the Central Weather Bureau (CWB).

By Saturday and Sunday (June 15 and 16), the stationary front will have moved to the Bashi Channel to the south of Taiwan. By that time, the weather in Taiwan should be mild, but will remain unstable, with a chance of local, brief showers.