TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A cold air mass is expected to bring cold, wet weather during the first half of the four-day Tomb Sweeping Festival holiday, before giving way to sunny, warm conditions.
The Central Weather Bureau (CWB) predicts that a cold air mass will gradually move down Taiwan from the north on Friday (April 1), bringing cold, wet weather on Saturday and Sunday (April 2-3). However, as the cold front weakens, skies will start to clear and temperatures will rise on Monday and Tuesday (April 4-5).
According to the weather bureau, as the cold air mass moved south Friday, early morning temperatures in northern and northeastern Taiwan ranged between 15 and 17 degrees Celsius and the high temperature was expected to range between 16 and 18 C. Skies will be cloudy to overcast with occasional rain throughout the day today.
The CWB forecasts increased rainfall in the evening and temperatures in central, southern, and eastern Taiwan will also begin to drop. Highs in central Taiwan will range between 20 and 22 C, while southern Taiwan will see highs of between 24 and 26 C.
The weather bureau predicts that on Saturday and Sunday, Taiwan will feel the full impact of the cold air mass and as a cloud system in southern China moves east toward Taiwan, moisture will increase in the atmosphere. During this period, central, northern, and northeast Taiwan will see wet and cold weather throughout the day with lows dipping to between 14 and 15 C.
Other areas will also see colder weather, with rain likely across the country. However, as the cold air mass starts to weaken on Monday, temperatures throughout the country will start to rise.
During the day, conditions will become warmer and moisture will gradually decrease. The mercury will continue to rise on Tuesday and skies will be partly cloudy to sunny across the nation.
Meteorologist Daniel Wu (吳德榮) described the weather over the Tomb Sweeping Festival as having "two bad days and two good days." Wu predicted heavy rain in northern and central Taiwan on Saturday and Sunday, with the lowest temperature in low-lying areas reaching 12 C.
He said that due to the arrival of a high-pressure system on Monday and Tuesday, western Taiwan will be sunny with stable weather, while eastern Taiwan will see occasional rain.
