Cold air mass hits Taiwan, sending temperatures plummeting

Taipei, March 10 (CNA) A continental cold air mass is driving temperatures around Taiwan lower, with lows expected to remain between 12 and 14 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA).

Due to the cold air mass, the CWA issued a "yellow" cold surge advisory for New Taipei, Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Miaoli and the outlying Kinmen islands, indicating temperatures in those areas could dip below 10 degrees.

The cold surge alert is expected to stay in effect into Wednesday morning, the CWA said.

Temperatures in low-lying areas fell to as low as 9.9 degrees in Taoyuan's Yangmei District, 10.1 degrees in New Taipei's Shiding District and 10.3 degrees on Fugui Cape in New Taipei early Tuesday morning, CWA data showed.

Temperatures elsewhere around Taiwan could fall to 12-14 degrees Tuesday, the CWA said, but the rain seen during the morning will likely subside in the afternoon.

Independent meteorologist Wu Der-rong (吳德榮) said temperatures from Tuesday night through early Wednesday morning could fall to around 9 degrees in low-lying areas because of radiative cooling -- when the ground releases heat into the atmosphere under clear skies.

Wu said the cold air mass was expected to weaken Wednesday morning and cloudy to sunny skies were expected to return to most of Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday, with brief showers possible in the east.

He said another wave of cold but relatively dry air is expected to set in Thursday night, bringing Taiwan chilly but dry weather conditions through Friday.