Taiwan's 1st cold wave could send mercury down to 7 C

台灣第一波寒流可能使氣溫下降至攝氏7度

Lalashan, Taipingshan, and Hehuanshan could meet the critical conditions for snowfall


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — As the first cold wave of ?winter arrived in Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) issued a cold surge alert for north Taiwan ?

Ttemperatures are forecast to be their lowest on Thursday and Friday (Dec. 21 and 22), with lows expected to hit 7 C in some areas.

At 10:46 a.m., the CWA said that as a cold wave (寒流) arrived from the north on Wednesday (Dec. 20) it issued an orange cold surge advisory for the chance of temperatures remaining at 10 C in Keelung City, Taipei City, New Taipei City, Taoyuan City, Hsinchu County, and Yilan County. A yellow alert for the possibility that temperatures could drop below 10 C has been issued in Hsinchu City, Miaoli County, Hualien County, and Kinmen County.

Meteorologist Daniel Wu (吳德榮) said influenced by the first wave this winter, the cold air will be the strongest from Thursday to Saturday (Dec. 23) morning. Wu predicted the coldest days will be Thursday and Friday, with the minimum temperatures along the coast and some plains dropping below 7 C.

Wu said that atmospheric moisture and cold temperatures on high mountains such as Lalashan, Taipingshan, and Hehuanshan could meet the critical conditions for snowfall. The meteorologist said the probability of snowfall is significantly higher than in the previous cold front.

However, where and when the snow will fall remains to be observed, said Wu. As for the summit of Datunshan, temperatures will drop to around freezing, with a higher probability of rime ice and graupel, than snow.

Wu said that as the strong cold front moves southward on Wednesday, temperatures will drop, and northern Taiwan will get colder as the day progresses. Other regions will also experience a shift to colder conditions.

There will be localized rain in the northern and eastern parts of the country, while mountainous areas in the southern and center of the country may experience brief, localized rain. The temperatures across different regions are as follows: 16 to 11 C in the north, 12 to 25 C in the center of the country, 13 to 26 C in the south, and 12 to 24 C in the east.

The meterologist predicted that during this period, the temperature at the Taipei Weather Station is expected to reach 10 C, meeting the definition of a cold wave. The minimum temperatures along the coast and some plains are predicted to drop below 7 C.

Wu said the latest model shows the cold air will weaken slightly from Saturday to Christmas Eve (Sunday, Dec. 24) during the day, and northern Taiwan will continue to be wet and cold. The cold air will slightly strengthen from Christmas Eve night to Christmas Day (Monday, Dec. 25), and the weather will turn dry.

The cold air will weaken daily by next Tuesday and Wednesday (Dec. 26-27), skies will be sunny and the weather stable, and temperatures will rise, forecast Wu.