Taiwan’s Central Weather Bureau announced that a cold air mass from mainland China will move south on the 14th and is expected to weaken by the daytime on the 16th. Weather experts in Taiwan are warning that temperatures will continue to drop as the night progresses today (13th), and the public should take precautions to stay warm over the cold weekend.
As per the Central Weather Bureau, the northeastern winds will strengthen, leading to strong gusty winds of 9 to 10 on the Beaufort scale in coastal and open areas from Taoyuan to Tainan, Hengchun Peninsula, Orchid Island, Green Island, Penghu, and Matsu starting from tonight. Keelung’s northern coast and Kinmen will also experience strong gusts while nearby waters will see significant waves. During the daytime today, coastal and open areas from Tainan to the north, Keelung’s northern coast, Hengchun Peninsula, Orchid Island, Green Island, Penghu, and Matsu are prone to gusty winds. As the cold air mass moves south on the 14th, temperatures across Taiwan will drop until they start rising again by the 16th.
Dr. Wu Derong, an associate professor in the Department of Atmospheric Sciences at National Central University, shared in a meteorological program that the latest European model (ECMWF) simulation from 8:00 pm on the 12th indicates that there may be brief local showers in the northern and eastern regions today, with a cold air mass moving south following a cold front in the afternoon. The temperatures will drop with each passing hour, so it’s advisable to dress warmly especially when going out in the evening. The central and southern regions will experience increasing cloud cover, occasional clear skies, and comfortable temperatures during the day with slightly colder mornings and evenings. Today’s temperatures are forecasted to be between 12 and 19 degrees Celsius in the north, 13 to 27 degrees in the central region, 15 to 27 degrees in the south, and 13 to 26 degrees in the east.
Dr. Wu noted that the latest model simulations from various countries suggest that the western regions will be mostly clear to partly cloudy from the 14th to the 16th, with a chance of sporadic showers in the eastern parts. This cold air mass is considered the strongest since the beginning of winter, and in the early morning hours of the 14th to 16th, some areas in low-lying regions could see temperatures drop below 10 degrees, emphasizing the importance of keeping warm.
Looking ahead, Dr. Wu mentioned that according to the latest model simulations, the cold air mass will gradually weaken on the 16th and 17th, leading to a slow temperature recovery, with northern Taiwan remaining relatively cold. The western regions are expected to have mostly clear to partly cloudy skies, while the eastern parts may experience occasional short showers. From the 18th to the 21st and 22nd, two more cold air masses are predicted to move south, combined with the still relatively cool conditions, indicating that the weather next week will likely remain on the cooler side. However, the timing, intensity, and potential for further temperature drops regarding these two cold fronts are still uncertain. Due to significant variations in model simulations from different countries and ongoing adjustments, further monitoring is advised.