Passing weather front brings overnight downpours

Taipei, April 13 (CNA) A passing weather front brought rain and thunderstorms across Taiwan overnight Saturday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said Sunday.

Showers and thunderstorms were observed nationwide from Saturday night through early Sunday morning, with areas in western Taiwan experiencing especially heavy downpours, the CWA said.

The weather agency reported that the highest hourly rainfall was 78 millimeters in Chiayi County's Yijhu Township.

As the weather front moved away on Sunday morning, rainfall decreased significantly, the CWA said, though brief, scattered showers continued in Hualien and Taitung counties, and as well as in mountainous areas in central and southern Taiwan.

Other places saw a transition to cloudy or sunny skies, the agency added.

The CWA said that the strengthening northeast monsoon brought a noticeable drop in temperatures, though daytime highs were forecast to reach 20 to 22 degrees Celsius in northern, eastern and central Taiwan and 24 to 25 degrees in southern Taiwan on Sunday.

Forecast temperatures for Sunday vary across Taiwan's offshore islands, with Penghu County at 19 to 22 degrees Celsius, Kinmen County 16 to 22 degrees, and the Matsu islands (Lienchiang County) 15 to 20 degrees, according to the CWA.