TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan is in the midst of a wave of air pollution from China that is predicted to last until Wednesday (Oct. 18) and people with respiratory problems are advised to avoid outdoor activities.
On Sunday (Oct. 15), the Facebook page WeatherRisk predicted that due to the strengthening of the northeasterly winds combined with the upstream winds shifting from northwest to north, foreign pollutants are more likely to blow in, and included a map showing air pollution from China arriving in Taiwan that day. However, because the northeasterly winds are predicted to be relatively weak, it is estimated that this wave of air pollution will only affect Taiwan for three days, and the air quality will gradually improve on Wednesday.
Lin Te-en (林得恩), head of the research team at National Taiwan University's Center for Weather and Climate Disaster Research, stated on his Facebook page on Monday (Oct. 16) that northeasterly winds are carrying foreign pollutants into Taiwan and central and southern Taiwan are located downwind. The accumulation of pollutants combined with the effects of photochemical reactions in the afternoon will likely cause ozone concentrations to increase, and air pollution is not expected to ease until after nightfall.
Lin explained that the air quality would be similar for three days, with northern Taiwan and Yilan County ranging between yellow and orange alert levels, signaling moderate quality air and unhealthy air quality for sensitive groups, respectively. Lin predicted that over this period, orange alerts would be in place in Yunlin County, Chiayi County, Tainan City, Kaohsiung City, and Pingtung County.
He advised individuals with respiratory sensitivities to minimize outdoor activities as much as possible and to wear masks when necessary if they need to go outside.
IQAir on Monday listed the air quality across Shanghai as unhealthy and ranked it as the third-most polluted city in the world that day with an AQI of 171. It trailed only Delhi, India, and Dhaka, Bangladesh, which had similar AQIs of 176 and 175, respectively.
As can be seen in the map published on Monday by IQAir below, heavy air pollution concentrated in Shanghai and areas northwest is being blown southwest towards Taiwan.
Map shows a heavy concentration of unhealthy air flowing from Shanghai toward Taiwan on Monday. (IQAir screenshot)