TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's meteorological agency sounded the alarm Thursday (July 3) as a punishing heatwave tightened its grip on the island nation, pushing temperatures to dangerous levels in multiple regions. The Central Weather Administration (CWA, 氣象署), Taiwan's national weather forecasting body, released urgent high-temperature advisories as thermometers in Taoyuan City, Hsinchu County, and the outlying Kinmen County registered scorching readings above 38 degrees Celsius (100.4°F). Officials reported that Luzhu District (蘆竹區) in Taoyuan emerged as the hottest spot on the island, with temperatures climbing to a sweltering 39.2°C (102.6°F).
Weather authorities designated Taoyuan City, Hsinchu County, and Kinmen County under an orange alert classification, signaling the imminent threat of extreme temperatures reaching 38°C (100.4°F) in these areas. The agency extended similar orange warnings to Taiwan's capital Taipei City, the surrounding New Taipei City metropolitan area, and five additional counties including Miaoli, Changhua, Yunlin, Tainan, and Taitung, cautioning residents about the likelihood of prolonged exposure to temperatures of at least 36°C (96.8°F) for multiple consecutive days.
The weather service issued less severe yellow alerts for Hsinchu City, Taichung City, Chiayi County, Pingtung County, and Yilan County, warning that temperatures in these regions would likely surpass 36°C (96.8°F). Midday measurements confirmed the intensity of the heatwave, with monitoring stations in New Taipei City's Sanxia District (三峽區) recording 37.9°C (100.2°F), while Jincheng Township (金城鎮) in the offshore Kinmen County registered 37.7°C (99.9°F), and Beidou Township (北斗鎮) in central Taiwan's Changhua County reached 37°C (98.6°F).
Several other localities including Hsinchu, Yunlin, and Pingtung reported intermittent temperature spikes exceeding 36°C (96.8°F) throughout the day. Health and emergency management officials strongly advised residents across the affected regions to maintain adequate hydration levels and implement appropriate heat safety measures during this extreme weather event. The Central Weather Administration pledged ongoing surveillance of the developing heatwave conditions and committed to issuing timely updates as the situation evolves. ◼