TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan is being described by local media as having "gone missing" as clouds from a cold wave cover the country on satellite images, while another cold front is forecast to arrive on Christmas Eve (Sunday, Dec. 24).
On Thursday morning (Dec. 21), New Taipei City's Shimen District recorded a low temperature of 9.4 C. The Central Weather Administration (CWA) said that Thursday evening to Friday morning (Dec. 22) could also see new lows, ranging from 8 to 10 C in the north and northeast, 10 C in the central region, and 10 to 12 C in the south.
Inland and open areas in the north may drop to as low as 6 C. From Thursday to Saturday (Dec. 23), Taiwan will see increased atmospheric moisture. There is a chance of snowfall in the high mountains of the central and northern regions.
The cold wave began moving southward on Wednesday (Dec. 20), causing a gradual decrease in temperatures from north to south. CWA forecaster Lo Ya-yin (羅雅尹) was cited by SET News as saying that on Thursday morning, Lienchiang County's Dongyin Township recorded a low of 6.9 C, and some areas of Taiwan Proper also experienced temperatures below 10 C.
Lo said the coldest temperatures will be on Thursday night and Friday morning. In central and northern regions, including Yilan and Hualien, temperatures may drop to single digits, while other areas will be around 10 C, predicted Lo.
In open and mountainous areas, temperatures could be even lower, said Lo. Some northern areas may reach as low as 6 C and Lo advised that vulnerable populations take precautions to stay warm. Lo added that due to the strong northeast winds, coastal areas will experience rough waves.
Lo predicted the mercury would rise slightly during the day on Saturday, but another wave of cold air from China will move southward and temperatures will drop significantly again. Lo forecast that temperatures will not start to recover until Tuesday (Dec. 26).
In the coming days, Lo said precipitation will mainly occur on the windward side. From Thursday to Saturday, Taiwan will see relatively high atmospheric moisture levels, with a noticeable reduction expected on Tuesday.
Due to the low temperatures and arrival of moisture in alpine areas, roads could become icy in mountainous areas of north Taiwan over 1,500 m and central Taiwan over 2,000 m. Lo said that the combination of cold temperatures and increased moisture increases the odds of snowfall over the next two to three days.
On Friday, Lo said there is a higher chance of snowfall in windward-facing mountainous areas in the north, while the possibility of snow in higher-altitude mountainous areas in the south will "depend on luck."
