Strongest cold air mass so far this winter to affect Taiwan over weekend

今冬迄今最強冷氣團週末影響臺灣

First of two cold fronts this week arrives


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The first of two cold fronts this week arrived on Tuesday (Dec. 12), while the strongest continental cold air mass yet this winter is expected over the weekend.

Meteorologist Daniel Wu (吳德榮) said Tuesday will be cloudy and rainy in windward areas. Wu said the north has already had localized rainfall, and temperatures are gradually dropping. Wu predicted that the lowest temperatures would occur on Tuesday night.

Wu said modeling shows the northeast monsoon will move south, with brief showers in the northeast and east, while central and southern Taiwan will continue to see sunny skies and balmy conditions.

Tuesday temperatures will range between 18 and 23 C in the north, 19 to 28 C in central Taiwan, 20 to 30 C in the south, and 18 to 28 C in the east.

Wu said on Wednesday that the northeast monsoon will weaken with the west seeing sunny skies and the east occasional showers, while temperatures everywhere will rise.

Due to a high-pressure system on Thursday and Friday (Dec. 14-15), the weather will be warm and sunny across Taiwan.

Starting Saturday (Dec. 16) the "strongest 'continental polar air mass' since the beginning of this winter will move southeast, with the cold air mainly affecting areas north of central China, Japan, and the Korean Peninsula," he said.

Although Taiwan will only be slightly affected by the cold front on Saturday and Sunday (Dec. 17), temperatures in the north will drop and it will be damp, according to Wu. Central and southern Taiwan will also be impacted.

Wu said modeling shows the front has reached the intensity of a "continental cold air mass."

He said from Monday afternoon (Dec. 18) to Tuesday morning (Dec. 19) there will be a break in rain and a slight rise in temperatures. From Tuesday afternoon to Thursday (Dec. 21), another cold front will arrive, potentially representing the first "cold wave" (寒流) of winter.