Temperatures dip to 5.2°C in Miaoli's Sanwan

Taipei, Feb. 10 (CNA) A nationwide low of 5.2 degrees Celsius was recorded in Miaoli County's Sanwan Township early Monday morning, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA).

The lowest temperatures in low-lying areas on Taiwan proper and its offshore islands were 5.2 degrees recorded in Sanwan's Dahe Village, followed by 5.8 degrees in Hsinchu County's Emei Township, and 5.9 degrees in Lienchiang County's Matsu Islands, the CWA's data showed.

Meanwhile, the CWA has issued "yellow alerts" for several cities and counties across Taiwan, including Hsinchu, Miaoli, Changhua, Nantou, Yunlin, Chiayi and Tainan, warning that minimum temperatures could again drop below 10 degrees early Tuesday morning.

Wu Der-rong (吳德榮), an independent meteorologist, said the temperature lows early Monday came in the wake of a strong cold air mass combined with the effect of radiative cooling.

However, the cold air system began weakening during daytime Monday, bringing slightly warmer temperatures nationwide, according to Wu, who forecast cloudy to sunny skies into Tuesday.

Due to abundant moisture from incoming southern winds, wet weather is expected to return and affect the country on Wednesday, the day of the Lantern Festival, he said.

Arriving northeasterly winds are forecast to bring cooler weather to the north with intermittent showers on Thursday but the system is forecast to weaken the next day, Wu said.