TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Central Weather Bureau (CWB) at 2:20 p.m. today (July 22) reported a high temperature of 41.4 degrees Celsius (106.52 F), setting the record for the hottest temperature this year.

At 1 p.m. this afternoon, the CWB recorded a temperature of 41 C in Hualien County's Yuli Township. This was even hotter than the 40.7 C reported there on Thursday (July 21).

The temperature in Hualien's Zhuoxi Township reached 40.2 C at 1 p.m., and then soared to 41.1 C at 1:50 p.m. It next climbed to 41.2 C at 2 p.m., before reaching its peak of 41.2 C by 2:20 p.m., setting the record for the highest temperature this year. Five weather stations in Hualien reported temperatures of 39 C or higher today.

However, the CWB stated the Zhuoxi and Yuli temperatures could not be considered as the official high-temperature records for the year because they are at unmanned stations. This year's official highest temperature was 39.1 C, recorded at the manned weather station in Taitung.

As for the Greater Taipei area, New Taipei City's Banqiao weather station recorded a high of 39.3 C at 1:53 p.m., the hottest temperature recorded at the station since its founding in 2003, according to SET News. In Taipei, the hottest temperature was 38.7 C, which was registered at the weather station in Neihu at 1:50 p.m.

More sizzling weather is expected for the next three days and the CWB at 4:31 p.m. issued a red alert for: Taipei City, New Taipei City, Taoyuan City, Yilan County, Hualien County, and Taitung County, which indicates a daily maximum temperature of 38 C for three consecutive days.

It also issued an orange signal for: Keelung City, Hsinchu County, Miaoli County, Taichung City, Changhua County, Nantou County, Yunlin County, Chaiyi City, Chaiyi County, Tainan City, Kaohsiung City, and Pingtung County.