Taiwan’s highest peak, Yushan, could see the first snow of the winter during the upcoming weekend, when a cold wave is forecast to send temperatures down to 10 degrees Celsius or lower, according to the Central Weather Bureau (CWB).

Except southern Taiwan, the rest of the country, including the offshore islands of Kinmen, Matsu and Penghu are expected to see cool and sometime wet weather on Wednesday and Thursday, before a weather front increases the chance of rain nationwide on Friday, CWB forecaster Huang En-hung (???) told CNA Tuesday.

Strong winds and high waves are forecast in most coastal areas, as the seasonal northeasterly wind strengthens on Wednesday, he added.

The weather front and cold air mass behind it are expected to move across Taiwan on Saturday and Sunday, and the daytime high could fall to 8-10 degrees in the north, around 12 degrees in central Taiwan and 15 degrees in the south, said Huang.

The chance of rain will be lower over the weekend, with the level of humidity determining whether there will be snow on mountains with an altitude of 3,000 meters and above, according to Huang.

The season’s first snow fell on Xueshan, the second highest mountain in Taiwan at 3,886 meters, on the border of Taichung and Miaoli County on Monday, because there was enough moisture, Huang said.

The CWB’s current forecast indicates snow is most likely on late Saturday or early Sunday at altitudes of 3,000 meters and higher, including Yushan (3,952 meters), or those at 2,000 meters and above in northern Taiwan, Huang said.

Earlier this year, 0.5 centimeters of snow was recorded at Yushan on May 2, thanks to strong northeasterly winds and sufficient moisture, the CWB said at the time.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel