Spring rains coming to Taiwan Thursday will soak weekend

春雨週四登陸台灣 週末將濕透

'Spring rain belt' expected to bring cold, wet weather well into next week


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A weather front will start to bring rain to northern, northeastern, eastern, and central Taiwan on Thursday (March 23) with precipitation expected to increase across the country starting on Saturday (March 25) and continue through Tuesday (March 28), leading to a significant drop in temperatures.

Liao Ching-hsiang (廖經翔), a forecaster with the CWB, said that brief, localized showers would occur on Thursday and Friday (March 24) in northern Taiwan, Yilan County, Hualien County, and parts of central Taiwan. Meanwhile, the Facebook page Taiwan Typhoon BBS predicted that a rain cloud belt would arrive in Taiwan on Saturday, increasing the probability of rain across the country well into the start of next week.

Liao was cited by ETtoday as saying that southwesterly winds are blowing today (March 22) and the high temperatures will surpass those seen on Tuesday (March 21), with Tainan, Kaohsiung, Hualien, and Taitung likely to see highs exceeding 36 degrees Celsius. Hualien and Taitung will be prone to foehn winds, while scattered showers are likely in central Taiwan and areas north in the afternoon.

According to Liao, a weather front will gradually approach from the north on Thursday and Friday, bringing localized brief showers to northern, northeastern, and eastern parts of the country. Liao predicted that on Thursday other areas would see partly cloudy to sunny skies, but by Friday, central Taiwan will likely see brief showers in the middle of the afternoon.

Liao forecast that northeasterly winds would strengthen on Saturday and continue to impact the country until Tuesday. In addition, Liao said that a rain belt in Southern China would move eastward, bringing more moisture.

From central Taiwan and areas north, the eastern half of the country, and mountainous areas in the south, localized short-term showers are likely on Saturday. Other areas may see "spring thunder" over the weekend, but it will depend on the movement of the rain belt in Southern China, said Liao.

As for temperatures this week, Liao said that northern Taiwan will see the temperature range between 22-31 degrees on Thursday, 19 to 27 degrees on Friday, and drop by five or six degrees on Saturday when the mercury will range between 16 to 21 degrees. He predicted that central and southern Taiwan will see temperatures range between 21 and 33 degrees on Thursday, 19 to 31 degrees on Friday, and 18 to 27 degrees on Saturday.

In Hualien and Taitung, the mercury will range between 23 and 30 degrees on Thursday, the high temperature will drop slightly to 26 degrees on Friday, and a range of 22 to 23 degrees will be likely on Saturday, said Liao.

Taiwan Typhoon BBS pointed out that a weather front will approach on Thursday and Friday when northern and northeastern parts of the country will have more cloud cover and even see occasional light rain. On Saturday, the "spring rain belt" will officially arrive, bringing rain across the country, predicted Taiwan Typhoon BBS.

This rain belt is expected to increase the odds of rain significantly and will likely bring a pattern of overcast conditions and short-term rain all the way until early next week.

Taiwan Typhoon BBS forecast that initially the spring rain will be mainly concentrated in central Taiwan and areas north. However, southern Taiwan could also be affected by the periphery of the weather front.