The arrival of the winter’s first cold snap this weekend will drive temperatures in northern and central Taiwan as low as 6 or 7 degrees Celsius, with snowfall possible at high altitudes, the Central Weather Bureau (CWB) said Wednesday.

CWB forecaster Chao Hung (??) told CNA temperatures will rebound slightly on Thursday, with scattered rain forecast in the north and on the east coast and mostly cloudy skies expected in other areas.

From Friday, however, an approaching cold front will bring rain to most parts of the country, with temperatures becoming noticeably colder in the evening and at night.

Over the weekend, the CWB expects to see temperatures as low of 6-7 degrees in northern and central Taiwan and 8-10 degrees in other regions, with wet weather on Saturday giving way to drier conditions on Sunday, according to Chao.

As drier weather returns on Sunday, temperatures in southern Taiwan could rise to around 15 degrees, he added.

Going into next week, temperatures will remain between 10 and 15 degrees nationwide on Monday, before rising on Tuesday to 18-19 degrees in the north and above 20 degrees in the rest of the country, Chao said.

On the chance of snow, Chao said conditions are likely to be best from Saturday through the early hours of Sunday.

During that period, snowfall is possible at altitudes of at least 3,000 meters, and potentially as low as 2,000 meters on mountains located in the north and center of the island, where temperatures will be colder, Chao said.

The CWB defines a cold snap as a weather event where temperatures recorded by the bureau’s Taipei weather station fall below 10 degrees.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel