Thursday morning downpours, thunderstorms forecast to ease later in the day

Taipei, April 10 (CNA) Northern and central Taiwan were expected to be inundated by heavy rains and thunderstorms Thursday morning, but conditions were forecast to improve in the second half of the day, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA).

Taiwan's national weather agency said early Thursday that a passing front had increased the likelihood of wet and stormy conditions across the country, and it advised the public to stay alert for lightning strikes and strong wind gusts.

However, the rain will gradually ease Thursday afternoon, with only sporadic showers expected to persist in mountainous areas and in Hualien and Taitung counties in the eastern half of the main island, the CWA said.

Other areas of Taiwan will be overcast later in the day, it forecast.

Temperature highs will range from 25 to 28 degrees Celsius in central, eastern, and northern Taiwan, while southern areas may experience highs of up to 32 degrees, according to the CWA.

It also warned of strong southwesterly winds, especially near the Hengchun Peninsula in the south, as well as on Taitung County's outlying Lanyu Island and Green Island.

These areas could experience sustained winds of 39-50 kilometers per hour, with gusts of 62-75 kph, the CWA said, urging caution for those planning to engage in coastal activities.

Meanwhile, foggy conditions may affect visibility in Kinmen County and the Matsu Islands, according to the weather agency.

From Friday through Saturday afternoon, the weather across Taiwan will be partly cloudy to sunny, though mountainous regions and the eastern half of the island may see occasional localized light rain, according to independent meteorologist Wu Der-rong (吳德榮).

A fast-moving weather front will bring scattered showers or thunderstorms to all of Taiwan Saturday afternoon into early Sunday, he said Thursday.

Temperatures are expected to drop as the front passes, but conditions should quickly improve later Sunday morning, Wu said.