New Taipei's Sanxia sees a temperature of 39.4 degrees Monday

Taipei, July 15 (CNA) Temperatures remained high around Taiwan on Monday, with the highest temperature of 39.4 degrees Celsius recorded in Sanxia District in New Taipei, according to Central Weather Administration (CWA) data.

The CWA also warned that temperatures will hit 37 degrees or higher the rest of the week in Greater Taipei and central and southern Taiwan.

On Monday, Sanxia, which is prone to extreme heat because it is located near mountains and has a concentration of concrete buildings, had the highest temperature, followed by Houlong Township in Miaoli, which recorded a temperature of 38.3 degrees.

Many other cities and counties (Taipei, Taoyuan, Yunlin, Chiayi, Tainan, Kaohsiung, Pingtung, Yilan, and Taitung) on the island recorded temperatures of 37 degrees or higher.

The CWA said it will likely continue to issue heat warnings for all parts of the country except for Hsinchu City and the outlying Kinmen, Penghu and Lienchiang counties in the coming days.

Temperatures of 37 degrees and above for most of western Taiwan will persist until Saturday, after which greater cloud cover will affect the island and bring temperatures down slightly to around 33-35 degrees, the CWA said.

Before Sunday, showers are forecast for Taitung and the Hengchun Peninsula, and isolated thunderstorms are expected for western Taiwan and mountainous areas, the CWA said.

On July 21 and 22, a depression from the south could bring more moisture to Taiwan, resulting in isolated showers or thunderstorms around the island.

The weather agency added that a tropical depression might take shape in waters east of the Philippines, but because it is forming near land, the agency will not know whether it could become a typhoon until it moves to the South China Sea this Thursday or Friday.

Meanwhile, hail was seen in Tainan on Monday, when some parts of the city experienced thunderstorms and strong winds.