Heavy rain to persist in central, southern Taiwan: CWA

Taipei, June 9 (CNA) Heavy rainfall is expected to continue across central and southern Taiwan over the next several days, with another surge in precipitation likely to begin Friday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) has forecast.

The CWA issued a torrential rain advisory, signifying 350 millimeters of rainfall in a 24-hour period or 200 mm in a three-hour period for mountainous parts of Kaohsiung City and Pingtung County, valid through Tuesday night.

It also issued an extremely heavy rain advisory, warning of 200 mm of rainfall in 24 hours or 100 mm in three hours, for the rest of southern Taiwan and mountainous parts of Nantou County, Taichung City and Miaoli County, also valid through Tuesday night.

Speaking at a press briefing, CWA forecaster Chu Mei-lin (朱美霖) said Tuesday would see the heaviest rainfall of the current plum rain front as it moves across Taiwan and brings short-duration intense downpours.

"Plum rains" refer to a yearly period of sustained rainfall that typically occurs in Taiwan in May and June.

Localized heavy rain or torrential rain is likely in regions south of Miaoli County and in mountainous areas of Taitung County, Chu said.

Other parts of Taiwan and outlying Penghu County could also experience localized heavy rainfall.

Chu said the rain was expected to intensify in southern Taiwan later in the day, particularly in mountainous areas where terrain-enhanced precipitation could lead to prolonged heavy downpours.

As of 12:40 p.m., the highest accumulated rainfall recorded for Tuesday was 176.5 millimeters in Heping District in Taichung, and seven of the top nine readings were from weather stations in the district, according to CWA data.

Chu said the front was expected to gradually move south on Wednesday, but central and southern Taiwan, as well as Hualien and Taitung counties along Taiwan's eastern coast, will remain vulnerable to heavy rain and localized torrential downpours.

The rain is forecast to ease gradually starting Wednesday night, before another frontal system is forecast to move over Taiwan on Friday and Saturday, bringing a renewed increase in rainfall around the island, she said.