Taiwanese meteorologists have warned that the weather on the eve of Chinese New Year is getting colder as the night progresses, with New Year’s Eve and the first day of the lunar year expected to be extremely freezing. The public is advised to take precautions to stay warm.
Associate Prof. Wu Derong from the Department of Atmospheric Sciences at National Central University in Taiwan, shared in an interview with Sanlih Accurate Weather Forecast that according to the latest European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) model simulation as of 8 p.m. on the 19th, the weather is forecasted to be mostly clear in most areas on the 20th and 21st, with only occasional brief rain expected in the eastern half. The cold air will weaken gradually, and temperatures will rise daily, making daytime conditions more comfortable while mornings and evenings remain chilly with significant temperature differences between day and night.
Wu pointed out that on the morning of the 21st, some plains may experience around 10 degrees Celsius of “radiation cooling,” urging people to be cautious. The temperature range for each region today is 7 to 23 degrees Celsius in the north, 10 to 25 degrees Celsius in the central region, 12 to 26 degrees Celsius in the south, and 10 to 25 degrees Celsius in the east.
Regarding the weather from the 22nd to the 24th, Wu mentioned that a loosely structured middle-level cloud system is expected to move northwards from the south, causing slightly increased cloud cover in various areas with the possibility of sporadic, light rain near mountainous regions. Daytime conditions will be pleasant with cool mornings and evenings. On the 25th and 26th, the northeast winds will slightly strengthen, leading to occasional brief showers in the eastern side of Greater Taipei and the eastern half of Taiwan. The latest ECMWF model simulation as of 8 p.m. on the 19th shows that the impact of the upcoming “intense cold air” around the Lunar New Year period has slightly weakened but prolonged its influence compared to the previously anticipated extreme dry cold wave that had a shorter duration.
Looking ahead to next week’s weather, Wu stated that the “intense cold air” will start moving southward on the evening of the 26th, causing a drastic drop in temperatures on the 27th (Chinese Little New Year) with some parts of northern Taiwan already dipping below 10 degrees Celsius that night. On the 28th and 29th (Chinese New Year’s Eve and the first day of the lunar year), the area most affected by the cold air will experience its maximum impact, bringing damp and chilly conditions against the wind. Although the intensity has slightly decreased, there is still a high probability of a “strong continental cold air mass,” which may or may not lead to a return of the initial “cold wave” (temperature at the Taipei Station ≤ 10 degrees Celsius), necessitating close monitoring of developments.