Mercury in northern Taiwan forecast to hit 30°C Thursday

Taipei, Oct. 29 (CNA) Temperature highs in northern Taiwan are forecast to recover Thursday and reach as high as 30 degrees Celsius as an on-going northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA).

CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) told CNA Wednesday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds will boost the temperature on Thursday.

Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County in the northeast are expected to range from 28-30 degrees Thursday, up about three degrees from Wednesday, Tseng said.

According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable, hitting 31-32 degrees Wednesday.

However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting Thursday night as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again sending the mercury in northern Taiwan down to 20-25 degrees through Monday (Nov. 3), with temperatures in wide-open areas expected to fall to 18-19 degrees, Tseng said.

People in central and southern Taiwan as well as Hualien and Taitung counties in the east are likely to feel less of an impact from the seasonal wind effects and the temperature could range 28-32 degrees before falling to 22-25 degrees at night through Monday, Tseng added.

Due to the strengthening seasonal winds, Tseng said, moisture is expected to increase with brief showers possible in northern Taiwan, Yilan and Hualien counties in the east as well as the Hengchun Peninsula in the south from Thursday night to Monday.

The seasonal winds are forecast to weaken and with precipitation easing on Tuesday (Nov. 4) before strengthening again on Wednesday (Nov. 5), Tseng noted.

From Wednesday night to Thursday morning, high waves are possible in Keelung and the northeastern coastal area, eastern Taiwan, including Orchid Island and Green Island, as well as along the Hengchun Peninsula, Tseng said, adding that strong winds are likely from New Taipei to Changhua County, Pingtung and Taitung counties, as well as the outlying Penghu and Matsu islands.