Tainan recorded a high of 38.8 degrees Celsius on Thursday (May 4), the highest temperature of the year, as the Central Weather Bureau (CWB) issued orange and yellow heat alerts for seven counties and cities in Taiwan.

According to the CWB, the five highest temperatures recorded on Thursday included 38.8 C in Tainan’s Beiliao Village, 38.4 C in Pingtung County’s Chunri Township, 37.7 C in Kaohsiung’s Neimen District, 37.6 C in Tainan’s Yujing District, and 37.6 C in Kaohsiung’s Yuemei Village.

At 12:58 p.m., the CWB issued an orange alert for maximum daily temperatures reaching 38 C from early afternoon to late afternoon in Tainan City, Kaohsiung City, and Pingtung County. It also issued a yellow alert for maximum daily temperatures reaching 36 C in the early to late afternoon in Chiayi City, Chiayi County, Hualien County, and Taitung County.

CWB meteorologist Yeh Chih-chun said 38.8 degrees is the highest temperature recorded this year in Taiwan. Yeh said because Beiliao Village is close to the mountains, heat is slow to dissipate, combined with southerly winds and sunny skies resulted in the searing temperatures.

Yeh predicted that the range of areas affected by high temperatures will be wider and even central Taiwan may experience highs above 36 C. CWB director-General Cheng Ming-dean warned the public to take precautions to stay cool when venturing near mountainous areas of southern Taiwan.

https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4882257

Category: Taiwan