TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Tainan’s Yujing District recorded 39.8 C on Wednesday afternoon, the highest temperature in Taiwan for the day, as heat alerts covered most cities and counties, CNA reported.
The Central Weather Administration issued red heat alerts for Tainan and Pingtung County, indicating temperatures had reached or were expected to reach 38 C for three consecutive days. The alerts were in effect until 6 p.m. Wednesday.
Wednesday’s 39.8 C was Yujing’s highest reading in the past week. The district has seen highs above 38 C for seven consecutive days since last Thursday, including 39.7 C last Friday.
New Taipei’s Shuangxi District reached 39 C, while parts of Taipei, Taoyuan, Pingtung, and Hualien also topped 38 C. Taipei’s highest reading was 38.5 C in Wenshan District, while Daan Forest Park reached 38 C.
Orange heat alerts were issued for Keelung, Greater Taipei, Taoyuan, Kaohsiung, Hualien, Changhua, Yunlin, Chiayi, Chiayi County, and Taitung. Yellow alerts covered Hsinchu, Hsinchu County, Miaoli, Taichung, Nantou, and Yilan.
The CWA said Taitung County had already experienced hot, dry downslope winds, which can cause temperatures to rise quickly. Penghu, Kinmen, and Lienchiang were the only areas without heat alerts.
The CWA uses three heat alert levels: red, orange, and yellow. Red means temperatures have reached 38 C for three consecutive days. Orange means temperatures have reached 38 C, or have reached 36 C for three consecutive days. Yellow means temperatures have reached 36 C.
