Southern Taiwan cities record lowest temperatures in 35 years

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Central Weather Bureau (CWB) said Monday (Jan. 11) that the southern Taiwanese cities of Tainan and Kaohsiung have recorded their lowest temperatures in 35 years as a result of the recent cold air masses.

In a Facebook post, the CWB pointed out that this January has been colder than in recent years. It said the average temperature for Taipei in the first half of the month has been 13.85 degrees Celsius, the lowest observed since 2011.

Southern Taiwan, which is known for warmer weather throughout the year, has also been affected by the first two cold air masses of the season, according to the bureau.

The average temperatures for Tainan and Kaohsiung so far this month are 15.2 and 17.2 degrees, respectively. The two tropical cities have not experienced such a chilly January since 1986.

Meanwhile, Miaoli County's Tongluo Township recorded 6.4 degrees at 5 a.m. Tuesday (Jan. 12), the lowest temperature recorded in a flat area in Taiwan since the arrival of the third cold air mass. Meteorologist Daniel Wu (吳德榮) said it is very rare for the island to face three successive cold air masses over a period of only 12 days.

Wu forecast that the weather would be warm and dry across Taiwan from Wednesday (Jan. 13) to Sunday (Jan. 17), with daytime highs reaching 23-25 degrees. However, the mercury will likely drop again on Saturday (Jan. 16) with the approach of a seasonal northeasterly wind, reporters cited him as saying.