TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The current cold wave has reached peak intensity, while a second cold front will arrive on Christmas Eve (Dec. 24) ensuring chilly weather through Christmas (Dec. 25).
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) said the lowest temperature recorded on flat ground Friday morning (Dec. 22) was 6.7 C in Taoyuan's Yangmei District. It said temperatures will rise slightly on Saturday (Dec. 23), but another cold front will arrive on Sunday bringing cold conditions through Christmas.
CWA forecaster Lin Ting-yi (林定宜) said on Friday it will continue to be colder, while it will get slightly warmer during the day, per SET News. Highs will range between 12 to 14 C in the north, Yilan, and Hualien, and 17 to 20 C in central and southern Taiwan and Taitung.
Lin said there is a chance of snow on Friday in the north and northeast mountains over 1,500 m. In central and southern Taiwan, moisture will decrease during the day with little chance of precipitation.
Meteorologist Daniel Wu (吳德榮) said from Saturday to Sunday afternoon temperatures will remain below 0 C with a chance for snow in the mountains over 3,000 m such as Hehuanshan, Xueshan, and Nanhushan. The north will continue to be damp and cold, while central and south Taiwan will be relatively cold in the mornings and evenings.
Lin said on Saturday there could be brief, localized rain in the north, east, and central Taiwan mountainous areas, with sporadic rain in the central plains.
According to Lin, another continental cold air mass will move southward on Sunday and temperatures will drop from Monday to Tuesday (Dec. 26). On Monday, Lin said it will range between 12 and 18 C in the north, 12 and 22 C in central Taiwan, 14 and 24 C in the south, and 16 to 19 C in the east.
Wu said from Tuesday to Wednesday (Dec. 27), the cold front will weaken, leading to clear skies across various regions and an increase in diurnal temperature differences. On Thursday (Dec. 28), Wu said there will be increased chances of rain and on Friday (Dec. 29), the west will have mostly clear skies and occasional rain in the east.
