Strong continental cold air mass to send mercury plunging in Taiwan

Taipei, Jan. 5 (CNA) A strong continental cold air mass will move southward from Monday night into Tuesday, bringing overnight temperatures in low-lying areas across Taiwan down to around 10-14 degrees Celsius, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA).

In Taichung, Nantou, Yunlin, Chiayi County, Tainan and Kaohsiung, temperatures could drop below 10 degrees early Tuesday morning due to radiative cooling, the administration warned.

Daytime temperatures are expected to rebound on Tuesday, with highs of 15-16 degrees in northern Taiwan and Yilan, 19-21 degrees in central Taiwan, and 22-24 degrees in the south, CWA forecaster Cheng Chieh-jen (鄭傑仁) told CNA.

Taiwan will remain under the combined influence of the cold air mass and radiative cooling through Thursday, Cheng said.

While the cold air is expected to weaken slightly on Friday and Saturday, radiative cooling will continue to keep temperatures low, he said.

From Wednesday to Saturday, early morning and late-night temperatures in low-lying areas are forecast to range from 9-14 degrees in central and northern Taiwan and Yilan, and 13-16 degrees in southern and eastern Taiwan.

Daytime highs during the period are expected to reach 16-18 degrees in the north and Yilan, and 21-24 degrees in central and southern Taiwan.

A northeastern wind system is expected to affect Taiwan on Sunday and Monday, bringing mostly dry conditions but continued strong radiative cooling at night.

Daytime highs in northern Taiwan could return to around 20 degrees, though parts of western Taiwan may see day-night temperature differences of 10-13 degrees.

As for rainfall, brief showers are expected on Tuesday in eastern Taiwan and the Hengchun Peninsula, while northern Taiwan may see brief rain before turning cloudy.

Conditions are forecast to be mostly cloudy to sunny nationwide from Wednesday to Saturday.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Environment warned that the incoming cold air mass will also carry transboundary air pollutants into Taiwan starting Tuesday.

Due to haze over eastern China, air quality nationwide is expected to deteriorate to an "orange alert" level, meaning it is unhealthy for sensitive groups, it said.