Wet weather to continue but temperatures expected to rebound

Taipei, Dec. 24 (CNA) Taiwan will continue to see wet weather Tuesday, but the rainfall should weaken in the afternoon and evening while temperatures rebound slightly, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA).

The CWA has issued a heavy rain advisory for mountainous areas in Taichung City and Nantou County in central Taiwan, and the alert will remain in effect into Tuesday afternoon.

According to the CWA, heavy rain is defined as 24-hour accumulated rainfall exceeding 80 millimeters or hourly rainfall exceeding 40 millimeters.

Brief showers are possible in northern, northeastern and eastern Taiwan on Tuesday, but the chances of rain will decline later in the day, the CWA said.

With the continental cold air mass that has enveloped Taiwan weakening, daytime temperatures are expected to range between 17-21 degrees Celsius around the island on Tuesday, up 1-2 degrees from a day earlier, the CWA said.

On Christmas Day on Wednesday, daytime highs are expected to rise further, to 20-24 degrees in northern and eastern Taiwan and 25-26 degrees in central and southern Taiwan, the CWA said.

Another continental cold air mass is expected to follow on Thursday and its impact is expected to be felt most during Saturday and Sunday, when temperatures should fall to 12 degrees or lower, the CWA forecast.

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