Heavy rain advisory issued for northern Taiwan

Taipei, Nov. 20 (CNA) A heavy rain alert has been issued for northern Taiwan as seasonal northeasterly winds continue to affect the island, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said Wednesday.

The CWA said the heavy rain advisory, which signals more than 80 millimeters of rainfall in 24 hours or 40 mm in three hours, was in effect for Taipei, New Taipei and Keelung cities and Yilan County.

The agency also warned of possible sudden downpours in mountainous areas in the Greater Taipei area, along Taiwan's northeastern coast, and in Yilan County.

In addition to the ongoing seasonal winds, the CWA said, moisture is also moving into Taiwan from southern China, increasing the chances of rain in northern Taiwan.

Elsewhere, sporadic rain is possible in mountainous areas in southern Taiwan, where the impact of the seasonal winds will be limited.

Due to the rain, the CWA forecast cool weather for northern Taiwan on Wednesday, with temperatures to range between 19 and 22 degrees Celsius throughout the day, while daytime highs in central and eastern Taiwan are expected to hit 25-26 degrees.

Southern Taiwan is expected to see more stable and warmer weather conditions, with daytime highs likely to reach 27-28 degrees, the CWA said.

The CWA also warned of possible strong winds in the Hengchun Peninsula, around Orchid and Green islands off Taiwan's southeastern coast, in areas between Taoyuan City and Yunlin County in the west, and around the outlying Kinmen, Matsu and Penghu islands.

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Man-Yi was downgraded to a tropical depression Wednesday morning and was centered 1,200 kilometers west-southwest of Cape Eluanbi, the southernmost tip of Taiwan, as of 8 a.m., according to the CWA.

It was heading in a west-southwest direction and was unlikely to directly affect Taiwan, the agency said.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Environment said the air quality around Taiwan will be mostly "fair" or "good" Wednesday.