TAIPEI (TVBS News) — A cold air mass sweeping southward from mainland China has caused temperatures to plummet across Taiwan, resulting in snowfall in several mountainous areas on Thursday (Jan. 8). Hehuanshan (合歡山) and the Jiaming Lake (嘉明湖) region experienced snow, drawing snow enthusiasts to these high-altitude destinations.
Snow and sleet fell early Thursday morning around Hehuanshan, with intermittent snow observed from Cueifong (翠峰) to Yuanfeng (鳶峰) along the Taiwan Provincial Highway No. 14A. Even low-altitude regions felt the chill. Jiaming Lake and Xiangyang Mountain (向陽山) Cabin saw snow mixed with sleet around 4 a.m., lightly covering treetops and the ground.
The Alishan (阿里山) weather station reported a brief snowfall from 8:55 a.m. to 9:15 a.m., marking a rare occurrence in recent years. The Central Weather Administration (CWA, 中央氣象署) noted the last observed snowfall in Alishan happened approximately eight years ago, highlighting the unusual nature of this event.
CWA forecaster Tsai Yi-chi (蔡伊其) explained that increased moisture at mid-to-high altitudes and low temperatures in the mountains created favorable conditions for snowfall in central and southern Taiwan. However, the likelihood of snow diminished from the afternoon into the evening. Tsai added that if moisture moves in again tomorrow, isolated snowfall remains possible in the mountains.