Wet, cool weather forecast for most parts of Taiwan

Taipei, April 1 (CNA) Wet and cool weather is forecast for northern, northeastern and eastern Taiwan on Tuesday due to the effects of a continental cold air mass and a cloud system from southern China, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA).

Temperatures could hit as low as 12-14 degrees Celsius in parts of central, northern and northeastern Taiwan and 16-18 degrees in the south and Hualien and Taitung in the east at different times of the day Tuesday, the CWA said.

Daytime highs of 15-16 degrees are forecast for northern and northeastern Taiwan, 20-21 degrees for central Taiwan and Hualien in the east, and 23-27 degrees in the south and Taitung.

The lowest temperature recorded for a low-lying area on Taiwan Tuesday morning was 10.8 degrees in rural Sanwan Township in Miaoli County at 1 a.m.

Much of northern Taiwan can also expect periods of heavy rain Tuesday.

The CWA has issued a heavy rain advisory for Keelung, Taipei, New Taipei and Taoyuan cities, which warns of accumulated rainfall of over 80 millimeters in a 24-hour period or hourly rainfall exceeding 40 millimeters.

Brief bouts of localized rainfall are also likely in areas north of Tainan and Taitung, the coastal areas of the Hengchun Peninsula, and mountainous areas of central and southern Taiwan, the CWA said.

The rain will gradually ease later Tuesday and cloudy skies are forecast for other parts of Taiwan, the agency said.

Meanwhile, the mountains of central, northern and northeastern Taiwan at elevations above 3,500 meters are likely to see snowfall, according to the CWA.

The CWA expected the weather to improve in the coming days, with partly cloudy to sunny skies and higher temperatures expected across Taiwan on the first two days of the four-day Tomb-Sweeping Festival holiday that starts Thursday.