Perfect weekend weather turns to “dirty rain” in northern Taiwan

A clear, warm, sunny Saturday saw the weekend in northern Taiwan start with perfect weather, but Sunday turned to rain that meteorologists warned could be contaminated with pollutants.

Taiwan’s private weather company WeatherRisk said that a strengthening of northeastern monsoonal winds caused an obvious drop in temperature and increase in moisture in northern and northeastern areas this morning. The rain will increase in the afternoon, and in addition, airstreams will bring pollution from northern areas of China.

The northeastern monsoon will remain relatively strong from tonight to tomorrow, bringing strong gusts of Beaufort Scale 8 to 10 in open coastal areas. Temperatures in northern Taiwan will be around 16 to 17°C.

The southward movement of pollution will turn air quality from normal to “unhealthy for sensitive groups” in the western half of Taiwan. The dirty air is expected to affect the area until Monday morning, WeatherRisk said, warning vulnerable people in northern districts and Yilan County to avoid going out if possible.

WeatherRisk also pointed out that a tropical disturbance, 96W, has formed south of Guam, and is expected to develop into a tropical depression today. There is a possibility that it will intensify into the year’s 22nd tropical Storm in the next two days, and is expected to track over the southern Philippines into the South China Sea.

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