TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Northern Taiwan braces for scorching temperatures reaching 38 degrees Celsius (100.4°F) Thursday (Aug. 28), as meteorologist Wu Der-romg (吳德榮) warned of extreme heat in his "Secrets of the Weather Classroom" (洩天機教室) column. The Central Weather Administration, Taiwan's national weather service, (CWA, 中央氣象署) issued severe heat warnings for New Taipei City and placed Taoyuan City under an orange heat alert. The dangerous conditions represent some of the most intense summer heat the island has experienced this season.
Wu noted that Taiwan will experience mostly sunny to partly cloudy weather from Thursday through Saturday, with occasional showers expected in the eastern regions and Pingtung County, Taiwan's southernmost administrative division. The meteorologist predicted that increased moisture from the south will bring slightly cooler temperatures next week, spanning Sunday (Aug. 31) through Wednesday (Sept. 3). This weather pattern offers some relief from the current extreme heat wave affecting northern Taiwan.
The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) identified a tropical disturbance brewing in the South China Sea with significant development potential. Computer simulations predicted a 50% chance of the weather system strengthening into a typhoon over Thursday and Friday (Aug. 29). The disturbance is expected to track northwest, following a similar path to Typhoon Kajiki (颱風劍魚), raising concerns about potential impacts on regional weather patterns.
The Central Weather Administration also reported that afternoon thunderstorms may develop across central and southern Taiwan, as well as northern mountainous regions. Hualien and Taitung counties, Taiwan's eastern coastal areas, along with the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春半島), Taiwan's southernmost tip, may experience sporadic showers or thunderstorms throughout the day. Other areas across the island will remain mostly cloudy to sunny with stable weather conditions. ◼