Snow chasers in Taiwan could be in luck at the weekend as more snow is forecast in high mountain areas across the country due to an upcoming cold weather system, the Central Weather Bureau (CWB) said Friday.
With a strong cold air mass and abundant moisture expected to affect Taiwan from Saturday afternoon, forecasters said the chance of snowfall in mountains at or above an altitude of 3,000 meters is high, particularly on Sunday and Monday.
On Friday morning, Yushan (Mt. Jade), the highest peak in Taiwan, saw 1.5 centimeters of accumulated snow after a day of sporadic snowfall, the bureau said.
With the weather front expected to continue bringing moisture, the CWB also issued heavy rain advisories for Taipei, New Taipei, Keelung and Yilan in northern Taiwan on Friday.
Heavy rain means that there could be as much as 80mm or more of accumulated precipitation within 24 hours, or 40mm or more within one hour, according to the bureau.
Wu Der-rong (???), a meteorologist and adjunct associate professor of atmospheric sciences at National Central University, also warned of chilly weather from late Saturday to Monday.
Low-lying areas in northern Taiwan could see the mercury dip to 11 degrees Celsius Saturday night, and minimum temperatures around the country stay below 10 degrees on Sunday and early Monday, with intensive rain also forecast across Taiwan.
Daytime highs on Sunday could be the lowest this winter, dropping to 12 degrees in northern Taiwan, he cautioned.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel