TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — While a high-pressure system is expected to bring sunny, warm weather on Thursday and Friday (Dec. 14-15), the strongest continental cold air mass yet this winter is predicted to begin impacting Taiwan on Saturday (Dec. 16).

Meteorologist Daniel Wu (吳德榮) said a northeast monsoon will cause cloudiness over the north coast and east and localized rain on the north coast and northeast on Wednesday (Dec. 13). Meanwhile, skies will be sunny in the west.

Wednesday temperatures will range between 16 to 26 C in the north, 17 to 30 C in central Taiwan, 18 to 31 C in the south, and 17 to 29 C in the east.

Wu said forecasts show the strongest "continental polar air mass" since the start of winter will move east-southeast starting on Saturday. Wu said it will mainly cover areas north of central China, Japan, and the Korean Peninsula, but its periphery will still affect Taiwan, with brief showers in the north and east.

Northern temperatures will drop sharply on Saturday and it will become increasingly damp later in the day. Central and southern Taiwan will be slightly affected.

On Sunday (Dec. 17), the north will be damp and cold, while central and southern regions will be chilly in the morning and evening, according to Wu. Over the weekend, Wu said the northern Taipei Metropolitan Area temperature would drop to about 12 or 13 C, while flat areas could drop to about 10 C.

He said from Monday afternoon (Dec. 18) to Tuesday morning (Dec. 19) there will be a break in rain and a slight rise in temperatures. From Tuesday afternoon to Thursday (Dec. 21), another wave of stronger, cold air will arrive, potentially representing the first "cold wave" (寒流) of winter.