Jade Mountain records freezing temperatures early Tuesday

Taipei, Nov. 26 (CNA) Ongoing seasonal northeasterly winds and a separate weather front have sent temperatures plunging around Taiwan, falling to as low as minus 1.3 degrees Celsius on Taiwan's highest mountain, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA).

The minus 1.3 degree-reading was registered at 2:14 a.m. at the CWA's weathering monitoring station on the 3,952-meter Yushan (Jade Mountain), and frost was visible around the station, the agency said, adding that temperatures there could fall further Tuesday night.

Low-lying regions around Taiwan were also expected to experience the chilly weather brought by the seasonal winds and the cold front, the CWA said, forecasting temperatures in northern Taiwan to fall as low as 15 degrees Tuesday night.

The CWA forecast temperatures of 15-16 degrees in northern and northeastern Taiwan on Tuesday night after hitting daytime highs of 18-19 degrees.

In central and southern Taiwan, where the seasonal winds will have less of an impact, the mercury will hit highs of 23-25 degrees and 26-28 degrees, respectively, during the day before falling to 16-18 degrees at night, the CWA said.

Brief showers are likely in northern and eastern Taiwan, with heavy rain forecast in Keelung, along the northeastern coast, and in mountainous regions Tuesday, while sporadic rain is likely in central Taiwan and mountains in the south Tuesday morning, the CWA said.

But less moisture and rain is expected for the rest of the week, the agency forecast.

According to the CWA, temperatures in the outlying Penghu and Kinmen islands are expected to hit 20-23 degrees and 17-20 degrees, respectively, throughout Tuesday, while the Matsu islands will be cooler, with mercury of 15-17 degrees.

Temperatures are expected to trend lower later in the week as the cold air system strengthens into a continental cold air mass, falling as low as 10 degrees in low-lying areas as the weekend approaches, the agency forecast.

According to the CWA, a continental cold air mass refers to a system that brings temperatures of 14 degrees or lower at its Taipei weather monitoring station.

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