Wet weather forecast around Taiwan Thursday

Taipei, Jan. 1 (CNA) Occasional rain is forecast across Taiwan on Thursday, with mountainous areas in western Taiwan and Yilan County in the northeast expected to see significant rainfall, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA).

There is a higher chance of rain on Thursday as a weather system in the South China Sea moves north and brings moisture with it, CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) told CNA Wednesday.

As a result, mountainous areas in western Taiwan and Yilan could see sporadic showers, Tseng added.

Snow is possible on mountains with an altitude of 3,500 meters and above between Thursday and early morning on Friday, as well as rime ice or ice, according to the forecaster.

The weather will become drier from Friday, as seasonal northeasterly wind begins to impact Taiwan, Tseng said.

Western Taiwan is expected to see the weather turn partly cloudy to sunny on Saturday.

Temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan are likely stay between 15 and 19 degrees Celsius and 16 to 20 degrees in central and southern Taiwan, before a cold air mass causes a drop of 1-2 degrees on Monday, Tseng said.

Low cloud or fog could form and cause poor visibility between late Saturday and early Sunday in western Taiwan, Tseng added.