TAIPEI (TVBS News) — A strong continental cold air mass continues to impact Taiwan on Monday (March 17), bringing chilly weather and sporadic showers, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA, 中央氣象署). Temperatures in northern and northeastern regions will drop to 11-12 degrees Celsius at night and early morning, with daytime highs only reaching 12-14°C.
Central and eastern Taiwan, as well as the outlying islands, will experience slightly warmer temperatures. Central areas and Hualien-Taitung will see 16-18°C highs, whereas southern regions will reach 20-21°C. Penghu will experience temperatures from 15-18°C, while Kinmen and Matsu will range from 11-18 and 8-13°C, respectively.
Widespread cloud cover will dominate, with brief showers expected in eastern areas and western mountain regions. The northeast wind will strengthen, causing gusts of up to 8 on the Beaufort scale in the coastal regions from Tainan northward and on the northern coast of Keelung, Taitung, the Hengchun Peninsula, and the outlying islands. Penghu might experience gusts reaching 11 on the Beaufort scale, with a chance of long waves along the northern coast of Keelung and eastern coasts.
Cold temperatures and moisture could lead to snowfall in high mountain areas over 3,000 meters in central and northern Taiwan and around 2,000 meters in northern and northeastern regions. The Taiwan Air Quality Monitoring Network (環境部空氣品質預報) warns that the northeast wind may carry slight external pollutants, affecting air quality across Taiwan and its islands.