CNA file photo

Taipei, Dec. 28 (CNA) Taiwan will see wet and cold weather and its first snow of the year this weekend, and lingering cloud cover will likely disappoint those hoping to see the sunrise on New Year's morning, the Central Weather Bureau (CWB) said Friday.

CWB forecaster Chen Wei-liang (陳維良) said the current cold and humid weather will continue until the morning of Dec. 30, with temperatures dropping Friday evening to 11-14 degrees Celsius in northern Taiwan, Yilan and Hualien and to 16-17 degrees in the south and Taitung.

Chen said the first snow of this winter is expected on certain mountains above 3,000 meters, given that there is enough moisture in the air and temperatures will fall below zero.

The forecaster said the cold air mass will begin to weaken on Dec. 30, but northeasterly winds are likely to continue affecting the island, and a tropical low pressure system over waters near the Philippines is expected to bring moisture from the south to Taiwan.

The CWB said cloudy skies are expected to blanket the island in the next few days, making it unlikely that the sunrise will be visible on the morning of Jan. 1.

Meanwhile, winds from the northeast are expected on Dec. 31, and people going to see fireworks displays might want to position themselves upwind -- to the north and northeast -- of where the fireworks will be set off to get the best views, the weather bureau said.

(By Chen Wei-ting and Chi Jo-yao)
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