Taipei: A tropical system has continued to bring heavy rain and torrential downpours to parts of Taiwan, with weather experts predicting that the unstable conditions will persist across the island into Friday.
According to Focus Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) issued heavy rain advisories on Thursday evening for several regions, including Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan, and Nantou County. Areas in the mountainous regions of Hsinchu County, Kaohsiung, and parts of eastern Taiwan, as well as territories south of Yunlin, Miaoli County, and Taichung, were also cautioned as the system made its way through the Bashi Channel toward the island.
CWA forecaster Lai Hsin-kuo noted that the system is expected to pass over Taiwan as a low-pressure system or a tropical depression. Upon reaching the waters east of Taiwan, conditions may allow the system to develop into a tropical storm. International weather models suggest that if the storm forms, its trajectory will likely lead it toward Japan, sparing Taiwan from a direct hit.
Despite this, Taiwan will experience unstable weather through Friday, with widespread showers and thunderstorms predicted. Lai highlighted the possibility of strong afternoon convection, which could result in short-duration torrential downpours, particularly in the Greater Taipei area and the mountainous regions of central and northern Taiwan.
The system is anticipated to move away gradually by Saturday, with a reduction in rainfall expected across most areas, although heavy showers might still occur in the mountainous regions of western Taiwan. By Sunday, southwesterly winds could bring scattered showers and thunderstorms to central and southern Taiwan, while northern and eastern areas may experience afternoon storms.