Cooler temperatures, heavy rain expected in Taiwan over weekend: CWA

Taipei, May 9 (CNA) A frontal weather system will begin affecting Taiwan on Friday night, bringing significant rainfall across the island and causing temperatures to drop over Mother's Day weekend, a weather forecaster said.

The Central Weather Administration (CWA) issued heavy rain advisories for the Greater Taipei area, northeast Taiwan, and mountainous areas in Hualien, Nantou, and elsewhere at around 5:30 p.m. Friday.

Widespread showers or thunderstorms are expected across Taiwan on Saturday as the frontal system moves in, Chen Pei-an (陳姵安), a forecaster at the CWA, told CNA Friday.

After the front passes over Taiwan on Sunday, the associated rainband will gradually shift southward, bringing a higher chance of showers or thunderstorms to central, southern, and southeastern Taiwan, Chen said.

Other regions may have brief, scattered showers or thunderstorms, she predicted.

The front will shift south to the Bashi Channel on Monday, but moisture from the front will still affect southern and southeastern Taiwan, with some regions likely to experience brief showers, thunderstorms, or heavy rainfall, she said.

Starting Tuesday, most areas will see partly cloudy to sunny skies as the ambient moisture decreases, with only brief, isolated showers expected in mountainous regions during the afternoon, according to the CWA.

Temperaturewise, the CWA said cooler weather is expected over the weekend due to the frontal system. Daytime highs are forecast to drop to 24-26 degrees Celsius in northern Taiwan and Yilan, 26-28 degrees in central and southern Taiwan, and 26 degrees in eastern Taiwan.

Central and northern Taiwan, as well as Yilan and Hualien, will experience notably cooler conditions on Sunday, with highs ranging from 21-23 degrees, while Taitung and southern Taiwan will see highs of 24-26 degrees Celsius, it said.

Due to a significant decrease in moisture in central and northern Taiwan, as well as in Yilan and Hualien, daytime highs may return to around 28 degrees Celsius on Monday.