Taiwan to see high temperatures, thunderstorms before weekend rain: CWA

Taipei, May 22 (CNA) Taiwan is expected to remain hot and sunny, with partly cloudy to clear skies, on Friday, before a weather front brings localized heavy rain to areas north of central Taiwan Saturday, which is expected to ease the next day, a meteorologist said Thursday.

Most parts of Taiwan will be partly cloudy to sunny on Friday, with occasional isolated showers in Hualien, Taitung, and on the Hengchun Peninsula, and afternoon thunderstorms likely across the island, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA).

People in eastern Taiwan, the greater Taipei area, and mountainous regions of Yilan should be especially alert to afternoon thunderstorms Friday, according to CWA meteorologist Chang Cheng-chun (張承傳).

As for temperatures on Friday, highs in central and southern Taiwan could exceed 36 degrees Celsius, with a chance of extreme heat reaching 38 degrees Celsius in the south, Chang added.

The weather is expected to change starting Saturday as a front approaches the country, bringing scattered showers or thunderstorms to northern areas as well as northeastern and eastern Taiwan, Chang said.

Rainfall in these areas is forecast to subside on Sunday as the front moves to waters off the southeast coast and the Bashi Channel, with showers expected to be more intense in central and southern regions.

Meanwhile, a strengthening northeast monsoon will cause temperatures to drop on Saturday, with highs of around 24 degrees Celsius in the north, 28 degrees in central Taiwan and 30 degrees in the south.

Starting Monday, the weather will return to hot and humid conditions with partly cloudy to sunny skies and brief afternoon showers. This pattern will continue until Thursday next week, when another front arrives, bringing showers or thunderstorms nationwide, the CWA said.