The Central Weather Bureau (CWB) issued a heavy rain advisory Monday (May 18) for 10 cities and counties in regions north of Yunlin County, as a monsoon rain front approached Taiwan.



Heavy downpours, gusty winds and thunderstorms are expected in Keelung, Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan, Taichung and Hsinchu cities and Miaoli, Changhua, Yulin and Hsinchu counties, the CWB said.



The heavy rain alert means accumulated rainfall of 80 millimeters or more over a 24-hour period or 40 millimeters within an hour, according to the CWB.



With the arrival of the plum rain weather front, occasional showers are likely in other parts of the country through Tuesday, the CWB said.



Temperatures, meanwhile, will remain warm on Monday, with highs of 24-31 degrees Celsius across the country, the CWB said.



Under the impact of the front and strengthening southwestern winds, the weather is likely to be unstable for the rest of the week, particularly in areas near the Central Mountain Range, with temperatures expected to drop to 21-27 degrees Thursday (May 21) to Sunday (May 24), according to the CWB.



It also warned of low visibility in the outlying Kinmen and Matsu islands Monday due to foggy conditions and advised travelers stay alert to disruptions of transportation schedules.



Meanwhile, the air quality in most parts of Taiwan was fair ormoderate on Monday, according to the Environmental Protection Administration.