Seasonal winds to send mercury down to 20℃ in northern Taiwan

Taipei, Nov, 5 (CNA) Strengthening northeasterly winds are expected to bring temperatures in northern Taiwan down to as low as 20 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA).

The seasonal winds are expected to also deliver moisture, resulting in wet and cool weather in parts of northern, northeastern and eastern Taiwan, with temperatures in those areas to range between 20 and 26 degrees throughout Tuesday, the CWA forecast.

The CWA said rainfall would be most evident in Yilan and Hualien counties in the east, while heavy rain was possible in Keelung, along Taiwan's northeastern coast, and in mountainous regions in the Greater Taipei area.

Central and southern Taiwan could also be affected by the seasonal winds but to a lesser degree, the CWA said, forecasting partly sunny skies and daytime highs of between 28-30 degrees.

Sporadic showers are likely in mountainous areas of central and southern Taiwan in the afternoon, and temperatures will fall to 22-23 degrees at night, according to the weather agency.

The CWA, meanwhile, has issued a strong wind advisory for Taoyuan City, Hsinchu City, Hsinchu County and Miaoli County in the north, Taichung City and Changhua County in central Taiwan, Yunlin County, the Hengchun Peninsula and Orchid and Green Islands in the south.

The advisory also applies to the Taiwan-held Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu islands.

Independent meteorologist Wu Der-rong (吳德榮) said there will be less moisture in the seasonal winds on Wednesday and Thursday, meaning that the weather is likely to turn stable with only brief showers possible.

Given, however, the possible effects of Tropical Storm Yinxing, which was centered at 1,140 kilometers southeast of Cape Eluanbi, Taiwan's southernmost point, as of 2 a.m. Tuesday, moisture in the air is expected to increase from Friday through Nov. 11.

As for air quality, the Ministry of Environment said the air quality in Taiwan will be mostly "fair" or "good" Tuesday.

An "orange" air quality alert has been issued for some parts of southern Taiwan and the Matsu islands, however, suggesting unhealthy air quality for sensitive groups such as the elderly, children and people with cardiac or respiratory conditions.