Heavy rain alert issued for 7 areas in Taiwan

Taipei, June 5 (CNA) The Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Friday issued a heavy rain advisory for seven areas across Taiwan as a combination of southwesterly winds, a low-pressure system and a weather front brought unstable weather conditions.

The advisory covers Tainan, Kaohsiung, Pingtung County and Taitung County in the south and Taoyuan, Hsinchu City and Hsinchu County in the north, the CWA said.

The CWA defines heavy rain as accumulated precipitation of at least 80 millimeters within 24 hours or hourly rainfall exceeding 40 mm.

The agency said heavy rain had already been recorded in mountainous areas of Pingtung, Kaohsiung, New Taipei, Taoyuan and Hsinchu County earlier Friday morning.

As of 10 a.m. Friday morning, 74.5 mm and 71.5 mm of rainfall had fallen in Pingtung County's Jiadong Township and Kaohsiung's Renwu District, respectively, since Thursday midnight, the most recorded for the 10-hour period anywhere around Taiwan, according to CWA data.

Independent meteorologist Wu Der-rong (吳德榮) said moisture levels are expected to increase and atmospheric conditions are likely to remain unstable through Sunday.

During that period, Wu said, afternoon thunderstorms could still develop in some areas and may be accompanied by lightning, strong winds and intense rainfall.

Looking ahead, Wu said the fifth plum rain front of the season is forecast to linger near Taiwan from June 8-14, while strengthening southwesterly winds move into the region.

The combination is expected to usher in a more active phase of Taiwan's rainy season, increasing the likelihood of thunderstorms, strong winds, short-duration downpours and potentially hazardous rainfall, he said.