Weather agency warns of lows below 10°C as cold air mass approaches

Taipei, Jan. 8 (CNA) The Central Weather Administration (CWA) has warned of temperatures dropping below 10 degrees Celsius in Miaoli County from late Wednesday to early Thursday, as Taiwan braces for the impact of a second cold air mass this week starting Thursday.

The CWA issued weather advisories on Wednesday, warning of overnight temperatures dropping below 10 degrees in Miaoli. Forecaster Huang En-hung (黃恩鴻) told CNA that another cold air mass is expected to dominate Taiwan's weather from Thursday through next Monday.

The approaching cold air mass, the second this week, is expected to bring down daytime highs on Thursday to 14-16 degrees in the north, and 11-13 degrees in northern and central Taiwan and Yilan on Thursday night, Huang said.

Weather advisories are also in place for strong winds or gale-force gusts in coastal areas of central Taiwan's Miaoli, Taichung, Changhua and Yunlin, Hengchun Peninsula in the south, as well as Green Island, Orchid Island and the Matsu Islands until Saturday morning.

With the moisture carried by the cold air mass, there is a chance of snow from Thursday to Saturday on mountains over 2,000 meters in elevation in the north and over 2,500 meters in central Taiwan, Huang said

On Thursday, sporadic showers are forecast in northern and eastern Taiwan, mountainous areas of central and southern Taiwan, as well as on the Hengchun Penisula, while cloudy weather is expected in other areas of Taiwan and the offshore islands of Kinmen, Penghu and Matsu, according to Huang.