Mercury to drop below 6 degrees in Miaoli, Hsinchu early Monday morning: CWA

Taipei, Jan. 12 (CNA) Temperatures in Hsinchu and Miaoli counties may drop below 6 degrees Celsius on Monday, with the rest of Taiwan facing temperatures under 10 degrees, according to cold surge advisories from the Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Sunday.

Speaking to CNA on Sunday, CWA forecaster Chang Cheng-chuan (張承傳) said Taiwan was still experiencing the effects of a continental cold air mass and radiative cooling.

Between late Sunday night and early Monday morning, temperatures in Hsinchu and Miaoli counties could dip below six degrees, while the rest of Taiwan, except for Taitung County in the southeast, is expected to experience temperatures below 10 degrees, according to the CWA.

However, the cold air mass will weaken on Monday morning, according to Chang, resulting in northern parts of Taiwan seeing highs of 18 to 21 degrees, while central and southern Taiwan could experience highs between 22 and 23 degrees.

Chang warned of significant temperature differences of 10 to 15 degrees between day and night across Taiwan.

Radiative cooling will remain early Tuesday morning, bringing lows in the western half of the island to between 12 and 14 degrees, Chang said, adding that Hualien and Taitung counties could also see lows of 15 and 16 degrees.

Chang went on to add that the next cold air mass could hit Taiwan between Tuesday and Wednesday.

In terms of precipitation, Chang stated that Monday and Tuesday mornings will be partly cloudy or sunny across the nation except for the eastern and southeastern parts of Taiwan where rain could fall sporadically.

Between Tuesday evening and Wednesday, northern, eastern, southern and mountainous areas of central Taiwan could experience sporadic rain.

The weather will turn dry again by Thursday when most of the nation will see partly cloudy or sunny weather until Sunday, except for the eastern half of the island which could see more sporadic rain.