Taiwan’s Central Weather Bureau issued a special report on low temperatures for 18 cities and counties today (8th), due to the strong cold air mass from the mainland and the effect of radiative cooling, with temperatures expected to drop to below 10 degrees Celsius throughout the evening. Meteorological experts indicated that there is a chance for the lowest temperatures of the winter on the island’s plain areas to dip below 5 degrees on the morning of the 9th.
Associate Professor Wu Derong from the Department of Atmospheric Sciences at Taiwan Central University mentioned in the “Sky Leak Classroom” column of the Meteorological Application Promotion Foundation that this morning, except for central Taiwan where there are fewer clouds, other regions have loosely structured mid-level or low-level clouds, making radiative cooling most intense in the central region; the lowest temperatures in the plain areas across the island are expected to range from 7 to 11 degrees.
According to Wu Derong, the latest European model simulation as of 8 p.m. on the 7th shows that from today until the morning of the 9th, there will be a coverage of “strong cold air,” with clouds gradually decreasing in various areas and becoming clear and stable, leading to strong radiative cooling effects after nightfall. Tomorrow morning, there is a possibility of the lowest temperatures on the island’s plain areas reaching below 5 degrees, marking the first wave of “cold surge” since the beginning of winter (cold surge defined as temperatures below 10 degrees at the Taipei station).
He further pointed out that the latest adjustment in the European model simulation indicates that from daytime on the 9th until the morning of the 10th, the cold air will weaken slightly with temperatures rising during the day; however, from the afternoon of the 10th until the early morning of the 12th, another cold air mass will move southward, causing a slight drop in daytime temperatures during the weekend. From the 9th to the 12th, due to clear skies and persistent strong radiative cooling, “extremely low temperatures” are expected in the early morning, leading to significant day-night temperature differences.
Moreover, he mentioned that the latest model simulation shows that from daytime on the 12th until the 14th, although the cold air weakens significantly, daytime temperatures will notably rise. The weather will be clear across various regions, but with continued strong radiative cooling, leading to lower temperatures in the early morning and evening, resulting in significant day-night temperature differences. Therefore, the temperature fluctuations throughout the coming week will be drastic, and it is advised to take special care of the elderly and those with cardiovascular diseases at home to ensure their well-being.