Heavy rain, cooler temperatures forecast across Taiwan from Friday

Taipei, May 29 (CNA) A weather front is expected to bring rain and lower temperatures across Taiwan starting Friday, with localized heavy rain possible in northern Taiwan and Yilan County, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA).

The CWA issued a heavy rain advisory early Friday as the approaching front could trigger intense short-duration rainfall across parts of the island.

Mountainous areas in central and southern Taiwan may also experience localized heavy rain on Friday afternoon, the agency said.

The CWA additionally warned of lightning, strong winds and flooding in low-lying areas, while cautioning residents in mountainous regions about possible landslides and river surges.

Independent meteorologist Wu Der-rong (吳德榮) said the fourth plum rain front of the season that is bringing rain Friday will likely weaken and move south on Saturday, bringing partly cloudy to sunny weather across Taiwan.

Similar conditions are forecast for Sunday, though afternoon showers could still develop in mountainous areas of central and southern Taiwan, said Wu.

Meanwhile, the CWA said Tropical Storm Jangmi, located about 1,880 kilometers east-southeast of Cape Eluanbi as of 2 p.m. Thursday, was moving northwest at 17 kilometers per hour but will gradually turn north and then to the northeast.

The agency said Jangmi is expected to strengthen into a typhoon on Friday or Saturday and could come closest to Taiwan between Sunday and Monday as it moves near the Ryukyu Islands, though the likelihood of any direct impact remains low.

The storm's outer cloud bands, however, could bring localized rain to northern Taiwan and Yilan on Monday and Tuesday, while afternoon thunderstorms may continue to develop in mountainous regions, the CWA said.

As for temperatures, daytime highs on Friday are forecast to range from 28 to 31 degrees Celsius in northern Taiwan, Yilan and Hualien, and 32 to 35 degrees in central and southern Taiwan and Taitung, said the CWA.

Inland areas in the south could see temperatures rise to 36 or 37 degrees, said the CWA.

From Saturday through Tuesday, temperatures are expected to ease slightly, with highs of 29 to 32 degrees in northern and eastern Taiwan and 32 to 33 degrees in central and southern Taiwan, according to the CWA.

(By Huang Chiao-wen, Yu Hsiao-han and Lee Chieh-yu) enditem/ls