Taipei: The Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Monday issued heavy rain advisories for 16 cities and counties across Taiwan, warning that an approaching seasonal front, strengthening southwesterly winds, and strong afternoon convection could bring localized downpours into the evening. According to Focus Taiwan, the advisories were issued for Keelung, Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan, Yilan, Yunlin, Chiayi City and County, Tainan, Kaohsiung, Pingtung, and the Hengchun Peninsula, as well as mountainous areas of Hsinchu, Miaoli, Taichung, and Nantou. Taiwan's northern coast and the outlying Matsu islands (Lienchiang County) were also included in the warning. The CWA urged the public to be cautious of lightning strikes and strong gusts of wind. Residents in mountainous regions were advised to be on the lookout for possible landslides and rockfalls, while those in low-lying areas were warned of potential flooding. The weather agency also issued heat advisories, with temperatures expected to exceed 36 degrees Ce lsius around midday in Hualien and Taitung counties, along with possible foehn winds in Taitung. Meanwhile, independent meteorologist Wu Der-rong highlighted that the rainfall is expected to intensify as a stationary front lingers near Taiwan and interacts with the southwest monsoon. The fifth stationary front of this year's plum rain season is gradually approaching, with prevailing southwesterly winds increasing atmospheric instability and expanding areas of convective activity. Wu predicted that the front would hover over Taiwan on Tuesday and Wednesday, bringing prolonged periods of convection and increasing the risk of thunderstorms, strong winds, and intense rainfall. He warned that the combination of the front and persistent southwesterly flow could lead to heavy rainfall, potentially triggering flooding and other weather-related disasters. While the front may shift slightly southward on Thursday, providing northern Taiwan with a brief respite from rain, central and southern Taiwan are likely to cont inue experiencing strong convective activity. From Friday through next Monday, the front is forecast to move northward again, bringing widespread rainfall to Taiwan. This period is considered a typical peak phase of the plum rain season, and Wu urged continued vigilance against severe weather and rain-related disasters.