Sunny weather to last through Friday before cold air mass hits Taiwan

Taipei, Feb. 3 (CNA) Sunny weather will persist in Taiwan through Friday, before temperatures drop from Saturday through Monday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said Tuesday.

Taiwan will see sunny to partly cloudy conditions from Wednesday to Friday, with daytime temperatures rising by 1 to 2 degrees Celsius each day until Friday, according to the agency.

On Wednesday, western Taiwan should brace for large day-to-night temperature gaps, while Hualien County and the Hengchun Peninsula in Pingtung County may see brief scattered showers.

Temperatures on Wednesday are forecast to range from 13 to 24 degrees Celsius in northern Taiwan, 15 to 26 degrees in central Taiwan, and 16 to 28 degrees in southern Taiwan.

A cold front is expected to pass from Friday into Saturday, followed by a strong southbound continental cold air mass, bringing wetter and colder weather with falling temperatures.

Northern and eastern Taiwan may experience intermittent showers, while parts of the central and southern mountainous regions could see brief localized rain.

From Sunday, humidity levels are expected to drop, with the coldest temperatures anticipated between Sunday and Monday mornings. Some showers may persist in western mountainous areas.

Temperatures in western and northeastern Taiwan are forecast to fall to between 9 and 11 degrees Celsius on Sunday and Monday, while Hualien and Taitung counties are expected to see lows of 12 to 13 degrees. Some areas could be 1 to 2 degrees colder due to radiative cooling.

Daytime highs during the period are expected to reach about 13 degrees Celsius in northern Taiwan, 19 degrees in central Taiwan, and 22 degrees in southern Taiwan.

The CWA said temperatures are likely to rebound during the daytime on Monday as the cold air mass weakens, though central and southern Taiwan may still see day-night temperature differences.

There remains a possibility that the continental cold air mass could intensify into a cold wave, the agency said.

If temperature and moisture conditions are favorable, snow may fall on northeastern mountains above 2,000 meters and central and eastern mountains above 3,000 meters, the CWA added.

The agency also warned that Kinmen and Matsu are likely to see fog or low clouds throughout Thursday and Friday, while western Taiwan may experience patchy fog or low clouds in the early morning.

Long-period waves are expected along the southeastern coast on Thursday and Friday, and along the northern coast of Keelung and the eastern coastline on Saturday.

The CWA added that another cold air mass may move south beginning Feb. 11, though its strength and associated rainfall remain uncertain.