Weather

Snow around Taiwan wows locals (update)

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/01/24
By: Elizabeth Hsu

Taipei, Jan. 24 (CNA) Snow, which is rarely seen in Taiwan, an Asia-Pacific

Taipei's Yangmingshan

Taipei’s Yangmingshan

island crossed by the Tropic of Cancer, wowed people around the island Sunday with the appearance of the white stuff, from the capital Taipei in the north to Pingtung County in the south.

Under the influence of a strong cold air mass, many places around Taiwan — even those located at an altitude of only 400 to 500 meters — received a covering of snow or soft hail overnight, exciting the locals, who likely have never seen a silver world in real life since they were born.

Despite low temperatures, people were seen swarming to elevated areas, including Jiangziliaoshan (726 meters) in Keelung, Taipei’s Yangmingshan, and Linkuo and Pinglin in New Taipei, to appreciate the natural beauty painted by snow.     [FULL  STORY]

Cold snap causes mass death of milk fish in Tainan

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-01-24
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Low temperatures that have brought snow to many areas in Taiwan have also

Cold snap causes mass death of milk fish in Cigu

Cold snap causes mass death of milk fish in Cigu

caused severe losses on fish farms along the coast of Tainan City in southwestern Taiwan.

Many fish farmers in the area were busy salvaging dead milk fish on Sunday morning. They feared that all of their milk fish might have been killed by the cold snap that has impacted Taiwan since Friday.

Huang Shang-li, a borough chief in Tainan’s Cigu District, said the temperature in Jiali District early Sunday morning was 5 degrees Celsius, which meant the temperature in the neighboring Cigu District, which is closer to the coast, was even lower.     [FULL  STORY]

10 sections of roads closed until Monday morning

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/01/24
By: S.C. Chang

Taipei, Jan. 24 (CNA) The Directorate General of Highways announced

(Photo courtesy of the Directorate General of Highways)

(Photo courtesy of the Directorate General of Highways)

Sunday the closure of 10 sections of provincial highways from 5 p.m. that day in anticipation of drier weather that could make the roads icy as a cold front continued to hit Taiwan.

In northern Taiwan, the Huangxi-Yangmingshan section of Provincial Highway 2A, which is from the 9-kilometer mark to the 22-km mark; the Xiaogetou (24km)-Toucheng (69km) section of Provincial Highway 9; and the Guangxing (6km)-Xiaoyi (20km) section of Provincial Highway 9A were closed.

In central Taiwan, the Baling (47km)-Qilan (86km) section of Provincial Highway 7, the Nanshan (30km)-Songmao (69km) section on Provincial Highway 7A, the Biluxi (99km)-Ci’en (133km) section on Provincial Highway 8, and the Cuifeng (18km)-Dayuling (41km) section on Provincial Highway 14A were off limit.     [FULL  STORY]

Cabinet issues health advisory for the elderly amid frigid weather

More than a dozen reported deaths in greater Taipei

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-01-24
By: Ko Lin, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

More than a dozen people have died in greater Taipei as a result of the frigid 6730930weather, the Executive Yuan said Sunday, advising those with chronic illnesses and the elderly to stay warm amid the cold spell that lasts through Monday.
Temperatures plummeted to 4 degrees Celsius in Taipei at the break of dawn, a new low in 43 years, according to the Central Weather Bureau.

As of press time, the number of sudden deaths alone has amounted to 21 in the last two days. Authorities cited that majority of the victims suffering from cold-related symptoms died shortly after being rushed to hospital.    [FULL  STORY][

Over 50 dead around Taiwan, victims of cold spell (update)

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/01/24
By: Cheng Chi-fong, Kuo Chu-chen, Kuo Chung-han and Elizabeth Hsu

Taipei, Jan. 24 (CNA) A king-size cold spell had taken a toll of at least 52 5540758lives in Taiwan as of Sunday afternoon, including 16 deaths reported in Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan.

A total of 16 people were rushed to hospitals in the city since Jan. 22, all of whom showed no signs of life upon arrival, officials of the Fire Bureau of the Kaohsiung city government said Sunday.

The 16 deaths were mostly caused by the onset of cardiovascular diseases as the mercury dipped suddenly, the officials said, noting that the victims were aged between 65 and 93.

Since Saturday, 36 deaths had been reported in Taipei, New Taipei and Taoyuan in northern Taiwan. The relevant authorities attributed the deaths to hypothermia or cardiovascular diseases as the temperature fell to 4 degrees Celsius in most part of northern Taiwan Sunday.     [FULL  STORY]

Yangminshan sees snowfall for the first time since 2009: reports

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-01-24
By: Ko Lin, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

For the first time since 43 years, Taipei experienced a record low temperature of 4 degrees Celsius on Sunday, the Central Weather Bureau (CWB) said.

The cold spell also brought snow to the Yangminshan National Park on the outskirts of the city. Juzhihu, a popular destination for calla lilies, even saw 5 centimeters of snow in the morning, a first since 2009.

Yushan, Taiwan’s tallest peak, also saw snowfall at 11:48 p.m. Saturday due to increasing moisture in the air, the CWB said.

The 400- 1,000-meter range mountain areas around Taipei’s Wulai, Linkou, Hsichi and Pinglin also received rare snowfall since late Saturday evening, according to reports.     [FULL  STORY]

Cold spell sends mercury down to 4 degrees in Taipei

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/01/24
By: W.T. Chen and Flor Wang

Taipei, Jan. 24 (CNA) The worst cold wave hitting Taiwan in 10 years has

Chinese Culture University in Taipei (Photo courtesy of Wang Chih-heng)

Chinese Culture University in Taipei (Photo courtesy of Wang Chih-heng)

sent the mercury plummeting throughout the island, with Taipei seeing the temperature drop to 4 degrees Celsius in Sunday morning, a new low in 43 years, according to the Central Weather Bureau.

However, the lowest temperature in flatlands in northern Taiwan was posted in Hsinchu, where the mercury fell to 2.8 degrees, it noted.

Yangmingshan National Park in the outskirts of Taipei has seen five centimeters of snow accumulated in the Zhuzihu (竹子湖) area, the bureau said.     [FULL  STORY]

Cold rain, strong winds in forecast as cold wave arrives

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/01/23
By: Jay Chen

Taipei, Jan. 23 (CNA) The Central Weather Bureau on early Saturday issued 46194844special bulletins warning of low temperatures, heavy rain and strong winds with cold air beginning to wrap Taiwan proper and outlying counties in cold, moist air.

Temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius are expected all around Taiwan and Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu islands, the weather bureau said.

In addition to low temperatures, heavy rain is in the forecast for the central regions of Taichung, Nantou as well as cities and counties to the north, it said.

Almost all areas of Taiwan can expect to see strong winds during the day, the bureau added.     [FULL  STORY]

Cold, wet weather forecast for coming week

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/01/17
By: Chen Wei-ting and Lee Hsin-Yin

Taipei, Jan. 17 (CNA) Cold and wet weather is in store for Taiwan for the 10391157coming week due to an approaching cold air mass and abundant moisture, the Central Weather Bureau (CWB) said Sunday.

Having issued a heavy rain warning for Kaohsiung and Pingtung in the south under the current frontal system, the CWB said rainy weather is likely to persist into next week, although of lesser intensity.

A cold air mass is also expected to reach Taiwan Monday, sending lows to 13 degrees Celsius in northern parts of the country, the bureau warned.

With heavy moisture remaining, the perceived air temperature could drop to 10 degrees in those areas, according to the bureau.     [FULL  STORY]

Yushan sees lowest temperature this winter

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/01/14
By: Wang Shu-fen and Evelyn Kao

Taipei, Jan. 14 (CNA) Under a cold air mass, Yushan on Thursday recorded

Yushan sees snowfall Wednesday morning, but not Thursday. (Photo courtesy of the Central Weather Bureau)

Yushan sees snowfall Wednesday morning, but not Thursday. (Photo courtesy of the Central Weather Bureau)

the lowest temperature of 8.1 degrees Celsius below zero since the start of winter, but did not get any snow because the cold air mass failed to bring sufficient moisture, the Central Weather Bureau said.

Since cold air masses are expected to approach Taiwan one after another over the next few days and create moisture in the air, Yushan could see snow at any time. The first snow of this winter fell on Jan. 3, according to the bureau.

The current cold air mass sent temperatures across Taiwan lower early Thursday morning, with the temperature recorded in Tamsui in northern Taiwan at 12.1 degrees, the lowest of the day in low-lying areas around the island.     [FULL  STORY]