People in Taipei, New Taipei City and Keelung can expect about 40 hours of temperatures below 10°C, starting this afternoon, due to the arrival of a cold front, the Central Weather Bureau said yesterday.
Temperatures in northern and central Taiwan could dip below 10°C by this afternoon, as the cold front is expected to move quickly toward the nation, it said.
“Residents in the greater Taipei area would feel temperature differences more acutely than those in other parts of the nation, as they could experience temperatures below 10°C for about 40 straight hours,” Weather Forecast Center Director Lu Kuo-chen (呂國臣) said.
Photo: Hsiao Yu-hsin, Taipei Times
The most powerful cold front that Taiwan has experienced occurred in 2016, which lasted 61 hours for residents in the greater Taipei area, Lu said.
Although it does not appear today’s cold front would equal or exceed the one four years ago, the apparent temperatures — those perceived and felt by people — might be comparable, Lu said.
While the cold front is expected to affect the north of the country longer than other areas, residents in central and southern Taiwan could experience temperatures lower than those in the north because of radiative cooling effects, he said.
Lows in northeastern Taiwan and north of central Taiwan would be about 7°C to 8°C between tomorrow and Friday, while other parts would see lows of about 10°C, while snow could fall on mountains between 1,000m and 2,000m from tomorrow night to Friday morning, the bureau said.
However, this year is to go down in the nation’s climatic history as the warmest ever, with the accumulated rainfall in the mountains in central Taiwan accounting for just 50 to 70 percent of the climate average, the bureau’s data showed.
April and October were the only months that had average temperatures close to the normal range, but average temperatures in the other months exceeded the climate average and made it to the top 10.
As of Sunday, the nation’s average temperature this year was 24.62°C, higher than last year’s 24.55°C and a new record, the bureau said.
The highest temperature in the nation, 40.2°C, was measured on July 25 at the Dawu (大武) Observation Station in Taitung County, it said, adding that it tied the previous record.
The rainfall in June, July and September was significantly less than the climate average, the bureau said, adding that only accumulated rainfall in the northeast region and southern coastal area was between normal and slightly more than the climate average.
The La Nina effect is expected to gradually weaken after next spring, Lu said.
Records showed that the average temperatures from January to March after a La Nina Year would be lower than normal and rainfall in the west coast would be below the normal range, he said.
Average temperatures in the next three months are likely to be close to the normal range, but the rainfall could be between low and normal, he said.
Taiwan last night blanked world No. 1 Japan 4-0 to win the World Baseball Softball Confederation’s (WBSC) Premier12 for the first time. Taiwanese ace Lin Yu-min (林昱珉) held defending champions Japan to just one hit and no runs in the first four innings, before catcher Lin Chia-cheng (林家正) opened the fifth inning with a solo home run. That was soon followed by a three-run homer from Taiwanese captain Chen Chieh-hsien (陳傑憲) to put Taiwan ahead in the prestigious tournament of the world’s top 12 baseball teams. In addition to a superb performance from 21-year-old Arizona Diamondbacks prospect Lin, three more Taiwanese pitchers
SUPPORT: Arms sales to NATO Plus countries such as Japan, South Korea and Israel only have to be approved by the US Congress if they exceed US$25m The US should amend a law to add Taiwan to the list of “NATO Plus” allies and streamline future arms sales, a US commission said on Tuesday in its annual report to the US Congress. The recommendation was made in the annual report by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC), which contained chapters on US-China economic and trade ties, security relations, and Taiwan and Hong Kong. In the chapter on Taiwan, the commission urged the US Congress to “amend the Arms Export Control Act of 1976 to include Taiwan on the list of ‘NATO Plus’ recipients,” referring to
Taiwan yesterday advanced to the gold medal match of the World Baseball Softball Confederation’s (WBSC) Premier12 for the first time in history, despite last night losing 9-6 to Japan. Taiwan advanced after the US defeated Venezuela in the first game on the last day of the Super Round. However, the US had no chance of advancing to the championship game unless it defeated Venezuela by at least nine points. The US won 6-5. As a result, the two teams — who both had one win and two losses in the Super Round — are to face off again in the
Minister of Labor Ho Pei-shan (何佩珊) said she would tender her resignation following criticism of her handling of alleged bullying by Ministry of Labor Workforce Development Agency branch director Hsieh Yi-jung (謝宜容) resulting in the death of an employee. The ministry yesterday gave Hsieh two demerits and said she is subject to review by the Disciplinary Court. The severest possible punishment would be her removal from office and being barred from government jobs indefinitely. Workforce Development Agency Director-General Tsai Meng-liang (蔡孟良) also received a major demerit and was transferred to another position. Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) issued a formal apology