Heavy rain alert issued for southern Taiwan

Taipei, Aug. 9 (CNA) A heavy rain alert has been issued for southern Taiwan as seasonal southwesterly winds bring moisture to the area, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said Friday.

The heavy rain alert was issued for Chiayi and Pingtung counties and Chiayi, Tainan and Kaohsiung cities as well as the Hengchun Peninsula, the CWA said, signaling more than 80 millimeters of rain in a 24-hour period or more than 40 mm of rain in one hour.

The heavy rain alert will stay in place until Friday night, according to the CWA.

Thundershowers with lightning and strong winds are likely in southern Taiwan as the southwesterly wind system destabilizes weather conditions, the weather agency said.

Elsewhere in Taiwan, mountainous areas in the north and Yilan and Hualien counties in the east are likely to see brief showers in the afternoon, the CWA said.

Despite the rainfall, Taiwan is still expected to experience scorching temperatures, with heat warnings issued for northern and eastern Taiwan on Friday.

An orange heat warning has gone into effect in Hualien, indicating three straight days of 36-degree Celsius temperatures, while a yellow heat alert has taken effect in Taipei, New Taipei and Taoyuan cities in the north and Taitung County in the east, meaning a single daytime high of 36 degrees.

Around Taiwan, daytime temperatures are expected to hit 33-34 degrees Friday, the CWA said.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Environment rated the air quality across Taiwan as "fair" to "good" on Friday, saying the southwesterly winds are expected to help to disperse air pollutants.