Mercury forecast to drop as low as 11 degrees next week

Taipei, Feb. 24 (CNA) A continental cold air mass hovering over Taiwan is expected to strengthen Sunday, sending temperatures plunging to lows of 11 degrees Celsius in areas north of Chiayi over the next three days, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said Saturday.

From Sunday to Tuesday, lows of 11-13 degrees can be expected in those parts of the country, while in the south, lows are expected to range between 15-19 degrees, the CWA said.

During those three days, as the cold air mass gains strength, temperatures are forecast to reach no higher than 15 degrees in northern Taiwan, but central and southern areas are likely to see highs of 25 degrees, the CWA said.

Rain is also expected in northern Taiwan during the three days, while sporadic showers are possible in mountainous areas in central and southern parts of the country, the CWA said.

By Wednesday, the cold air mass will begin to weaken, and daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan are likely to rise to 24 degrees, before another cold front arrives on March 1, the agency forecast.

Meanwhile, daytime temperatures on Saturday are expected to range between 18 and 20 degrees in northern Taiwan, 26-28 degrees in Kaohsiung and Pingtung in the south, and 22 to 25 degrees in other parts of the country, according to the CWA.

By nighttime, the mercury will fall to 13 degrees in the north, and 16 degrees in central and southern Taiwan, the CWA said, urging the public to pay close attention to the steep temperature drops.

Some precipitation is likely in Keelung and other northeastern coastal areas Saturday, while cloudy to sunny skies will prevail in central and southern Taiwan, the CWA said.

It warned of strong winds in coastal areas from Taoyuan to Tainan, on the Hangchun Peninsula in the south, on Orchid Island and Green Island in the southeast, and on the Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu islands Saturday.