'Very cold' weather forecast in northern Taiwan Saturday

Taipei, Jan. 11 (CNA) The Central Weather Administration (CWA) issued "very cold" weather advisories for northern Taiwan on Saturday, forecasting temperatures will drop below 10 degrees Celsius throughout the day.

The "orange" alert, which warns of "very cold" weather with temperatures sustained around or below 10 degrees, or the lowest temperatures dropping below 6 degrees, has been issued for Taipei, New Taipei, Keelung City and Yilan County, according to the CWA.

The agency has also issued "yellow" alerts for Taoyuan, Taichung, Tainan, Kaohsiung and Chiayi City, as well as Hsinchu, Miaoli, Changhua, Nantou, Yunlin, Chiayi and Kinmen Counties, indicating "cold" weather with lowest temperatures dropping below 10 degrees and significant day-night temperature differences.

Lows at night and in the early morning in regions north of Yunlin County as well as Yilan may drop below 10 degrees, range between 11-13 degrees in the southwestern areas, and hover at 14 degrees in Hualien and Taitung Counties, the CWA said.

In the daytime, highs will remain at 14-16 degrees in the north and reach 17-22 degrees in central Taiwan, the south, Hualien, and Taitung, the CWA predicted.

According to the CWA, the temperature will range between 13-16 degrees in outlying Penghu, 8-15 degrees in Kinmen, and 8-10 degrees in Matsu.

Localized showers may occur in the east, areas north of Taoyuan, Hengchun Peninsula, and mountainous parts of western Taiwan. There may also be scattered showers in the south. Otherwise, cloudy skies are predicted for the day, according to the CWA.

Strong gusts of up to 75 kilometers per hour may hit the coastal areas from Taoyuan to Yunlin, Hengchun Peninsula, Penghu, Green Island and Orchid Island, the CWA added.

Snow fell on Nantou's Hehuanshan Friday night and early Saturday morning, accumulating to 2-3 centimeters, while Yushan also saw snowfall accumulate to as thick as 3 centimeters.

The Highway Bureau Central Region Branch Office said drivers heading up to the mountains should be aware of slippery roads and that parts of some paths are restricted to vehicles with snow chains only.

Meanwhile, Yilan's Taipingshan saw sleet early Saturday morning. After patrolling the area, the Forest and Nature Conservation Agency Yilan Branch reported no icy roads and the area opened for visitors from 4 a.m.