TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The hottest place in Taiwan on Wednesday (July 20) was Zhuoxi Township in Hualien County at 38.5 degrees Celsius, but temperatures are likely to rise to reach a peak during the weekend, according to the Central Weather Bureau.

Four of the country’s 10 hottest localities were situated in Hualien County, with the township of Guangfu ranking second at 38.4 C. Luodong in neighboring Yilan County reported 38.2 C, the highest temperature in its recorded history, according to CNA. In central Taiwan, the mercury also peaked at 38.2 C in Nantou City.

The presence of a high-pressure area above the Pacific will make sure that cooler weather is unlikely to arrive soon, forecasters said. Temperatures are even likely to surge to 37 C or higher in the Taipei area and in the Hualien East Rift Valley from Thursday (July 21) until the end of the weekend.

Rain is expected for south and southeast Taiwan on Thursday morning, but it will mostly be limited to higher altitudes. The mercury might drop slightly after the weekend, but the weather will remain mostly dry and hot, with no imminent signs of a typhoon, forecasters said.