TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Mount Hehuan (Hehuanshan, 合歡山), a popular destination in central Taiwan, received its first snow of the winter Friday (Dec. 26) morning as temperatures plunged to minus 4 degrees Celsius (24.8°F) at 9:22 a.m. A continental air mass brought ice pellets and snow to the area, drawing large crowds of tourists eager to witness the season's first snowfall.
The Central Weather Administration (CWA, 中央氣象署), Taiwan's meteorological agency, reported that Yushan (玉山), Taiwan's highest peak, recorded the island's lowest temperature at minus 5.5 degrees Celsius (22.1°F) at 6:28 a.m., with snow falling on its northern peak. Wuling (武嶺) in Hehuanshan experienced temperatures of just 1.3 degrees Celsius (34.3°F), with ice pellets and hail falling from 6:39 a.m. to 7:26 a.m., resulting in a thick fog that blanketed the area.
The Highway Bureau, Taiwan's road authority, announced that the Nantou's Cuifeng (翠峰) to Hualien's Dayuling (大禹嶺) section of Highway No. 14A has reopened after a precautionary closure was lifted. Authorities restricted access from Kunyang (昆陽) to Dayuling, allowing only vehicles equipped with snow chains to ensure safety. The restrictions aim to prevent accidents on icy roads.
Wuling attracted numerous tourists on Christmas Day, resulting in 11 traffic violation fines and multiple road closures. Deputy Chief Chang Chin-lung (張金龍) of the Ren'ai Precinct's Cuifeng Station, a local police unit, noted that the influx of visitors caused traffic congestion, prompting police to implement diversion measures. The CWA had forecasted a chance of snow on Thursday and Friday (Dec. 25-26), enticing many to visit Hehuanshan despite the low probability.
