Lows in Taiwan to dip to 9°C between Sunday and Monday: CWA

Taipei, Feb. 6 (CNA) The arrival of a cold front will cause temperatures around Taiwan to drop starting Saturday, with low-lying areas in the north potentially seeing the mercury plunge to as low as 9 degrees Celsius, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA).

Speaking with CNA on Thursday, CWA forecaster Lai Hsin-kuo (賴欣國) said starting Saturday, a southbound cold front could lower temperatures in northern Taiwan from 16 degrees in the morning to 12 degrees in the evening.

The combination of high moisture in the air and low temperatures could bring snowfall to mountain peaks 1,500 meters and above in northern Taiwan and Yilan County, as well as 2,500 meters or higher in central Taiwan and the eastern half of the island, according to the CWA.

Lai said the moisture in the air will bring sporadic showers to northern Taiwan and Yilan, as well as the eastern half of the island, plus mountainous areas in the central and southern regions.

While moisture will ease up on Sunday, sporadic rain could still be observed in areas north of Taoyuan, the eastern half of the island, and the Hengchun Peninsula in the south, Lai said.

With the decrease in moisture starting Sunday, dry and cold weather conditions will be prevalent all the way to Monday, Lai said.

He added that the coldest times will be between Sunday night and early Monday morning, when the mercury is expected to dip to 9-11 degrees in locations north of Tainan and in Yilan.

On Friday, independent meteorologist Wu Der-rong (吳德榮) echoed Lai's forecast, adding that low-lying areas in Taiwan proper could even see temperatures dip below 6 degrees between Sunday and Monday.

Lai said that while the front will ease up slightly Monday, bringing warmer temperatures all the way to Tuesday, another cold air mass will arrive on Wednesday and last until next Friday or Saturday.