Low of 7.3°C recorded Monday in Sanwan amid cold, wet weather

Taipei, Dec. 23 (CNA) The mercury dropped to 7.3 degrees Celsius early Monday morning in Sanwan Township, Miaoli County, recording the lowest temperature in a low-lying area in Taiwan, with the outlook forecast to remain cold and rainy for the day, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA).

Another northern township, Emei in Hsinchu County, also saw single-digit temperatures Monday, recording 9.9 degrees early in the morning, as Taiwan remained in the grip of a continental cold air mass, the CWA said.

On Monday, the CWA issued an orange-level advisory for New Taipei City and Yilan County, indicating "very cold" conditions, with temperatures hovering at 10 degrees or lower.

It also issued a yellow-level advisory for Hsinchu County, Miaoli and the Kinmen islands, warning of "cold" conditions, with temperatures potentially dipping below 10 degrees.

According to independent meteorologist Wu Der-rong (吳德榮), the effects of the continental cold air mass will start easing during the day, and temperatures will likely rise significantly by Wednesday.

On Friday, however, another cold air mass is expected to move in and remain until Sunday, bringing lower temperatures again, Wu said.

Meanwhile, the CWA has forecast brief showers on the windward side of Keelung and other northeast coastal areas, the Greater Taipei area, and Yilan on Monday.

Occasional showers are also expected in the outlying Penghu islands during the day, the CWA said.

Also on Monday, the Ministry of Environment said the air quality around Taiwan will be mostly "fair" to "good" on Monday.

An "orange" air quality alert has been issued for Kaohsiung City and Pingtung County in southern Taiwan, however, indicating unhealthy air quality for sensitive groups such as the elderly, children, and people with cardiac or respiratory conditions.