Meteorological experts indicate that from the morning of the 7th to the 10th, Taiwan will be engulfed by a strong cold air mass, with the lowest temperatures on the plains of the island potentially dropping to below 5 degrees, marking the first wave of cold air this season.
Dr. Wu Derong, an associate professor at the Department of Atmospheric Sciences at Central University of Taiwan, shared in the “Sky Machine Classroom” column of the Meteorological Applications and Outreach Foundation that the latest European model simulation (ECMWF as of 8:00 pm on the 4th) suggests that the cold air will continue to weaken today, leading to clear and comfortable weather during the day. However, cloud cover will gradually increase in northern Taiwan in the afternoon, and another surge of strong cold air will quickly pass through from evening to tomorrow morning, bringing brief showers to the northern and eastern parts of the island and causing a drop in temperatures.
Dr. Wu further explained that the most recent model simulation shows that starting from the morning of the 6th, the weather will gradually clear up, followed by the rapid southward movement of the cold air mass, resulting in a sudden temperature drop that will get colder as the night progresses. From the 7th to the 10th, the island will be shrouded in strong cold air in the mornings. Despite the intensity being similar to the previous wave, due to clear and stable conditions, the “radiative cooling” effect is likely to create even lower temperatures each day at dawn, with the possibility of the lowest temperatures on the plains dropping to below 5 degrees, marking the first cold wave of the winter (defined as Taipei station ≤ 10 degrees).
Dr. Wu also highlighted that special attention should be paid to the fact that during the mornings of the 7th to the 10th, the weather will be clear and cold, and although it may not feel cold under the sun during the day, temperatures will drop sharply at night, with the likelihood of some areas experiencing record lows. With dramatic changes in temperatures between day and night, it is important to take care of elderly individuals and those with cardiovascular diseases at home to ensure their well-being. From daytime on the 10th to the 11th, the cold air will gradually weaken, leading to slightly higher temperatures, but the weather will remain clear with very low temperatures in the early morning and evening, along with significant temperature differences between day and night.
As for the current strong cold air mass, the latest model simulations indicate that although temperatures below zero may occur above 2,000 meters in high mountains, there is a lack of moisture, making the chance of snowfall slim and not worth anticipating.
Taiwan’s Central Weather Bureau issued a special low-temperature alert today, attributing the significantly lower temperatures in various regions to radiative cooling effects. Some areas are warned of temperatures below 6 degrees (marked by an orange warning light). The areas under the orange warning light are Kinmen County, while those under the yellow warning light include New Taipei City, Taipei City, Taoyuan City, Hsinchu County, Miaoli County, Taichung City, Changhua County, Nantou County, Yunlin County, Chiayi City, Chiayi County, Tainan City, Kaohsiung City, Yilan County, and Hualien County, where temperatures below 10 degrees are likely to occur.