Heat alerts issued for 6 cities, counties around Taiwan

Taipei, Aug. 25 (CNA) The Central Weather Administration (CWA) issued heat warnings for six cities and counties around Taiwan on Sunday as the hot summer temperatures are forecast to continue through Tuesday.

The weather agency issued an orange heat warning for Tainan, and Pingtung County, indicating they could see highs of 36 degrees Celsius for at least three consecutive days.

It also issued a yellow heat alert for Taipei, New Taipei, and Kaohsiung cities and Taitung County, indicating a high of 36 degrees for a single day.

According to the agency, the warnings will remain in effect until 5 p.m. Sunday.

Generally, cloudy to sunny skies are expected to prevail around Taiwan on Sunday, with a chance of thundershowers in mountainous areas and parts of the western half of Taiwan, the CWA said.

People are advised to be alert to severe weather conditions, such as short-duration heavy rainfall, lightning, and strong winds.

Temperature-wise, highs of 32-36 degrees Celsius are forecast in many parts of Taiwan on Sunday, with highs of 36 degrees likely in some parts of Greater Taipei, Taitung, Tainan, Kaohsiung and Pingtung, according to the CWA.

Also on Sunday, meteorologist Wu Der-rong (吳德榮) said that although a high-pressure system in the Pacific Ocean is weakening from Sunday to Tuesday, all areas in Taiwan will still experience hot temperatures, with thundershowers likely in the afternoon.

Due to prevailing southwesterly winds, the weather from Wednesday to Saturday will remain hot, with chances of brief showers, according to Wu.

He said that Tropical Storm Shanshan, which was located 1,790 kilometers east of Taipei at 8 a.m., was moving in a west-northwesterly direction toward Japan.

Shanshan is likely to hit Japan between Tuesday and Friday, Wu said, reminding people planning to travel to the country to keep themselves updated with the latest reports of the storm.