Taiwan's Guanxi records 4.8°C early Sunday: CWA

Taipei, Jan. 4 (CNA) A strong continental cold air mass, combined with radiative cooling, pushed temperatures sharply lower across Taiwan early Sunday, with the lowest temperature in low-lying areas recorded at 4.8 degrees Celsius in Guanxi Township, Hsinchu County, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA).

The CWA also issued low-temperature alerts Sunday morning, with yellow alerts warning that temperatures could drop below 10 degrees Celsius on Monday morning in New Taipei, Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Taichung, Changhua, Nantou, Yunlin, Chiayi City and County, Tainan, Kaohsiung, Yilan, Hualien and Kinmen.

CWA data showed that following the 4.8-degree reading in Guanxi, the next lowest temperature was 5.5 degrees recorded in Touwu Township, Miaoli County.

Despite the cold morning, the weather agency said temperatures are expected to rebound during the daytime on Sunday, with highs forecast at 21-23 degrees in central and northern Taiwan as well as eastern regions, and around 24 degrees in the south.

Forecast lows for Sunday are 10-12 degrees in central and northern Taiwan and the northeast, and 14-16 degrees in southern Taiwan and eastern areas, the CWA said.

Another strong continental cold air mass is forecast to move south from Monday into Tuesday, gradually lowering temperatures. Brief showers are expected in areas north of Taoyuan, as well as northeastern and eastern Taiwan, according to the agency.

During that period, lows are forecast at 10-13 degrees in central and northern Taiwan, Yilan and Kinmen, 15-17 degrees in southern and eastern Taiwan, and 10-12 degrees in Matsu, with daytime highs ranging from 15 to 25 degrees around the island.

Independent meteorologist Wu Der-rong (吳德榮), meanwhile, said that although the current cold air mass has weakened, enhanced radiative cooling overnight caused some areas to experience the coldest temperatures of the cold spell, at around 7-8 degrees.

Wu said the next cold air mass, expected to dominate Taiwan from Wednesday through Saturday, may be similar in strength to the current system, but could bring even lower early-morning temperatures due to stable, clear conditions that enhance radiative cooling.

Lows could fall below 5 degrees, potentially marking the first cold surge of the winter by official standards.

The CWA defines a cold surge as conditions in which temperatures at the Taipei weather station fall to 10 degrees Celsius or lower.