Mercury forecast to reach 33°C in southern Taiwan Monday

Taipei, March 3 (CNA) In the wake of a warm southerly wind system, daytime temperatures in southern Taiwan are expected to reach as high as 33 degrees Celsius on Monday, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA).

The CWA said cloudy to sunny skies are expected during the daytime on Monday, with temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan forecast to range from 28-31 degrees, while highs of 33 degrees could be seen in some mountainous areas in the south.

In the north, temperature highs are expected to range from 25-28 degrees, the CWA said.

However, the stable weather could change starting from the second half of Monday as a seasonal northeasterly wind system or continental cold air mass sets in, which is expected to send temperatures lower gradually over the next few days until the weekend, the CWA said.

On Thursday, temperatures are forecast to reach 14-24 degrees in northern and northeastern Taiwan, 16-26 degrees in central areas, 17-29 degrees in the south and 18-24 degrees in the east, the CWA added.

Taiwan is likely to feel the falling mercury most early Friday morning with temperatures set to dip to 13-14 degrees in the north, 14-15 degrees in central Taiwan, and 16-17 degrees in the south, the CWA said

With the upcoming weather front likely to increase moisture in the air, brief showers or even thunderstorms are expected in the second half of Monday, with stronger precipitation likely in the western part of the country and Yilan and Hualien in the east, the CWA added.

Such wet and cold conditions are expected to continue until Friday before the weather starts to turn stable Saturday, when temperatures are forecast to recover, the CWA added.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Environment said the air quality around Taiwan will be mostly "fair" to "good" Monday, although an "orange" alert has been issued for some areas in the northern half of the country, indicating unhealthy air quality for sensitive groups such as the elderly, children, and people with cardiac or respiratory conditions.