Miaoli hit by record low temperature of 1°C: CWA

Taipei, Jan. 13 (CNA) The lowest temperature in a non-mountainous area in Taiwan this winter was recorded in Miaoli County on Monday, when the mercury dropped to 1 degree Celsius, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA).

The record low temperature, brought by a strong continental cold air mass coupled with radiative cooling effects, was recorded at 7:20 a.m in Sanwan Township in the northwestern county, the CWA said.

In the adjoining Hsinchu County, a temperature of 2.1 degrees was recorded on Monday in Emei Township, the second lowest in a non-mountainous area in the country, the CWA said.

Across the rest of Taiwan, temperatures ranged between 4 and 8 degrees in the early hours of Monday, CWA data showed.

The mercury was forecast to rise gradually nationwide during the day, with highs of 18-21 degrees expected in northern and eastern Taiwan, as well as on the Penghu and Kinmen islands, 22-23 degrees in central and southern Taiwan and 14 degrees on the Matsu Islands, according to the CWA.

The CWA warned that despite the warmer daytime highs, sharp fluctuations of 10-15 degrees were likely at night, particularly in the western part of the country.

Wu Der-rong (吳德榮), an associate professor in the Department of Atmospheric Sciences at Taiwan's National Central University, said that the cold front was expected to wane Monday, and sunny skies would prevail across most of Taiwan on Monday and Tuesday.

Another southbound wave of cold air will blanket Taiwan on Wednesday, however, bringing low temperatures and occasional showers to the north and east of the country and mountainous areas in the south, Wu said, citing the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts.

The mercury will drop significantly in northern Taiwan, and snow is likely in the high mountain areas, he said.

The cold wave will linger through Friday morning, after which its effects will fade, giving way to drier conditions and rise in the mercury through Sunday, he said.