Mercury drops to 7 degrees Saturday morning: CWA

Taipei, Feb. 8 (CNA) Temperature as low as 7 degrees Celsius was recorded in Miaoli County and New Taipei City on Saturday morning as the Central Weather Administration (CWA) continued its cold surge advisories across Taiwan.

Saturday saw the CWA continue issuing the advisories to 20 out of 22 cities and counties like it did on Friday as persistent low temperatures are expected over the next few days due to the presence of a cold front.

The lowest temperature on Taiwan proper was recorded at 7 degrees in Miaoli's Sanwan Township and New Taipei's Shiding District, while the mercury dipped as low as 5.4 degrees in the outlying Matsu Island of Lienchiang County.

"Orange alerts" that warn of sustained temperatures around or below 10 degrees, or dropping below 6 degrees, have been maintained for Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan, Taichung, Keelung and Hsinchu cities as well as Hsinchu, Miaoli, Changhua, Yilan, Hualien and Taitung counties plus the outlying islands of Kinmen and Lienchiang counties, according to the CWA.

Meanwhile, "yellow alerts" warning of minimum temperature dropping below 10 degrees have been issued for Tainan, Kaohsiung and Chiayi cities as well as Nantou, Yunlin and Chiayi counties.

The CWA said these areas may continue experiencing a significant day-night temperature difference.

As was the case on Friday, the only two locations that did not receive a cold surge advisory were Pingtung and Penghu counties.

The CWA said windward areas north of Taoyuan and the eastern half of the nation could see sporadic rain.

Heavy rain advisories were also in effect in New Taipei, Keelung City and Yilan County early Saturday morning to late morning, while the rest of the nation should see cloudy skies, said the CWA.

According to the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency's Yilan office, the moisture mixed with the lingering cold spell brought rime ice and snow pellets to the county's Taipingshan National Forest Recreation Area on Saturday.

The office revealed that the temperature in the recreation area dropped to as low as -1 degrees after sunset on Friday.

As morning inspections showed that roads to the location were not effected, the area was opened as usual at 6 a.m. Saturday.

By 8 a.m., the office said visitors to the location were able to experience falling snow pellets thanks to moisture in the atmosphere being optimal.

Additionally, the administration also issued strong wind advisories that will last between Saturday and Sunday morning for Taoyuan, Taichung, Tainan and Hsinchu cities as well as Hsinchu, Miaoli, Changhua, Yulin, Chiayi, Pingtung, Taitung and Penghu counties.