Day-night temperature gap to continue around Taiwan

Taipei, Jan. 14 (CNA) Taiwan continues to be affected by a cold air mass and radiative cooling effects that will lead to low temperatures after dark and sizable day-night temperature gaps.

Temperatures remained chilly early Wednesday morning in low-lying areas of northern Taiwan, plunging as low as 4.9 degrees Celsius in Guanxi in Hsinchu County and 5.5 degrees in Zaoqiao in Miaoli County.

The Central Weather Administration (CWA) later issued a cold weather advisory for Wednesday night and early Thursday morning, warning that temperatures could fall below 10 degrees in parts of Taoyuan and Hsinchu and Miaoli counties.

During the day, it predicted highs of 24 degrees in the north, 25-26 degrees in central Taiwan, and 27 degrees in the south, and expected similar highs under sunny skies on Thursday and Friday as well.

Independent meteorologist Wu Der-rong (吳德榮), citing the latest simulations from the European weather model, agreed with the CWA forecast, saying there would be mostly sunny and stable weather conditions nationwide from Wednesday through Friday.

"Under daytime sunshine, it will feel 'as warm as spring,'" he wrote in his column for the Weather Application Promotion Foundation.

He warned, however, that due to strong radiative cooling effects, temperatures would remain low after dark and early in the morning, resulting in large day-night temperature differences.

Wu said the latest model simulations indicated that western Taiwan will remain sunny and relatively warm over the weekend, while eastern will see increased moisture and localized brief showers.

From Monday afternoon, the leading edge of a cold air mass is expected to move southward, bringing localized brief rain to northern Taiwan and a gradual drop in temperatures in the north, he said.