Taiwan braces for drastic temperature swings: CWA

Taipei, March 23 (CNA) Taiwan may continue to experience significant temperature fluctuations in the coming days, as warm daytime temperatures contrast sharply with cold mornings and nights, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said on Sunday.

Daytime highs on Sunday could reach 26-28 degrees Celsius in western Taiwan and 24-25 degrees in the east, but temperatures are expected to drop sharply at night, with overnight lows of 10-14 degrees in northern, central and northeastern Taiwan, and 15-17 degrees elsewhere.

Some areas in the north and central regions may even see temperatures dip below 10 degrees in the early morning, the CWA warned.

Meanwhile, weak atmospheric circulation will allow pollutants to accumulate, leading to deteriorating air quality on Sunday, forecasters said, adding that central and southern Taiwan may see alert levels that indicate unhealthy air.

Independent meteorologist Wu Der-rong (吳德榮) has forecast an even more dramatic shift in weather later in the week.

Taiwan will go from "summer-like heat" to "winter-like chill" as a strong cold front is expected to arrive on Friday, bringing cold and wet conditions that could last through April 1.

Before the cold weather, however, temperatures could exceed 35 degrees Celsius from Tuesday to Thursday, Wu added.

In light of recent mountaineering accidents, the Yushan National Park Headquarters has also issued a warning about hazardous conditions in high-altitude areas.

Snow above 3,000 meters is slowly melting, but low overnight temperatures are causing ice formation on trails, making early morning hikes extremely dangerous and slippery, the park said in a statement.

It urged hikers to carefully assess conditions before proceeding with their trips.