Yushan records second-lowest temperature in 20 years

Taipei, Jan. 28 (CNA) Yushan, Taiwan's tallest mountain, recorded its second-lowest temperature in two decades early Tuesday, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA).

The weather agency reported a temperature of minus 14.5 degrees Celsius at 2:04 a.m., which was 0.5 degrees lower than the previous record set in 2021 at the same station.

In 2005, the CWA's station on Taiwan's highest peak recorded a temperature of minus 15.2 degrees.

The CWA said there was no snow in Yushan this morning, attributing the low temperature to a cold spell that brings daytime highs across northern Taiwan to 16 degrees or lower despite the mostly sunny skies.

Elsewhere, the CWA reported temperatures of minus 11.4 degrees on Nanhu Mountain in Taichung and minus 10.4 degrees on Hehuanshan in Nantou County on Tuesday morning.

In low-lying areas, temperatures also plummeted due to the cold spell and the radiative cooling effect.

The coldest reading was 3.6 degrees, recorded at the 6.4-kilometer southbound mark of National Highway No. 3 in Shiding District, New Taipei, at 12:43 a.m.

Meanwhile, the CWA has issued a cold surge advisory for most parts of Taiwan, excluding Kaohsiung, Pingtung County, and Taitung County.

According to the warning, temperatures in New Taipei, Miaoli County, Taichung, and Changhua County may dip below 6 degrees on Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning, while other areas, including Kinmen County, may experience temperatures below 10 degrees.

The CWA advised residents in affected areas to stay warm and ensure proper ventilation when using gas or electric water heaters.