TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Eastern Taiwan baked under exceptional heat on Thursday (March 27) as temperatures climbed to a sweltering 37.6 degrees Celsius (99.7°F) in the coastal township of Taimali (太麻里), Taitung County, prompting the Central Weather Administration (CWA, 氣象署) to issue an orange heat alert for the region. The scorching conditions, recorded at 3:05 p.m., also triggered yellow alerts for New Taipei City and Pingtung County as residents sought relief from the unseasonable warmth.
Weather officials escalated their warnings at 3:25 p.m., explaining that foehn winds — hot, dry air currents created by descending southwest winds — could drive temperatures in Taitung County to an extreme 38 degrees Celsius (100.4°F). CWA forecaster Chu Mei-lin (朱美霖) explained that these southwest winds have already created a blanket of warmth across the island, with thermometers registering at least 30 degrees Celsius (86°F) nationwide.
According to Chu, southern regions face the most intense heat, with Taitung potentially reaching highs of 36 degrees Celsius (96.8°F). The forecaster noted a dramatic weather shift approaching for northern Taiwan, where temperatures could plummet from 32 degrees Celsius (89.6°F) to approximately 20 degrees Celsius (68°F) by Saturday. Meanwhile, central and southern Taiwan, including the eastern counties of Hualien and Taitung, will experience more subtle temperature variations as the weather system moves through.
Relief from the heat wave is forecast to arrive by the weekend, with morning temperatures between Saturday and Monday expected to drop significantly. Northern and northeastern regions could see lows of 14-15 degrees Celsius (57-59°F), while other areas may experience milder overnight temperatures of 16-18 degrees Celsius (60.8-64.4°F). Chu emphasized that the approaching northeast monsoon will bring consistently cooler conditions from Saturday through Wednesday, with particularly noticeable chills during morning and evening hours. Weather officials recommend that residents prepare appropriate clothing for these temperature fluctuations and continue monitoring official forecasts.
