TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Meteorologist Wu De-rong (吳德榮) on Wednesday said that morning temperatures could drop below 5 C at low elevations in north Taiwan from Thursday to Saturday. 

The Central Weather Administration issued an orange cold surge advisory for sustained temperatures of 10 C or below 6 C in Keelung, Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan, Hsinchu County, and Yilan County, per CNA. A yellow alert was issued for Hsinchu, Miaoli County, Taichung, Changhua County, Nantou County, Yunlin County, Chiayi County, Tainan, Kaohsiung, Hualien, and Kinmen, where temperatures may drop below 10 C.

Wu said a strong cold air mass will cover Taiwan from Thursday through Saturday morning. Mornings could set new winter lows on the plains, dipping below 5 C, marking the season’s first cold wave.

Temperatures on mountains above 2,000 meters may fall below 0 C. With little moisture, snow conditions are poor, so heavy snowfall is unlikely.