TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan saw record October heat at 11 lowland stations, which reported their highest average temperatures for the month since 1951, the Central Weather Administration said Friday.

The nationwide October average temperature reached 27.4 C, surpassing the 30-year climatological average of 25.2 C. According to World Meteorological Organization guidelines, climatological averages are the average values of a climate variable calculated from observational data over the most recent 30 years, per the CNA and the Hong Kong Observatory.

The administration said a persistent Pacific high-pressure system from early to mid-October brought extreme heat, resulting in record monthly averages at the 11 lowland stations. Nationwide, 17 other stations recorded their highest average temperatures for October since their respective establishments.

The number of days with temperatures exceeding 35 C averaged 1.3 across the country, compared with the climatological average of 0.1 days. Taipei recorded nine such days, the most for October on record.

Long-term climate trends show a steady increase in average, maximum, and minimum temperatures across Taiwan, reflecting the impact of global warming. 

Data from six centennial weather stations indicate that the rate of warming has intensified over the past 30 years, according to the Taiwan Climate Change Projection Information and Adaptation Knowledge Platform.