TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's weather agency issued an orange heat alert for Pingtung County (屏東縣) on Tuesday (June 30). The warning cited potential extreme temperatures reaching 38°C (100.4°F), as the island swings from record June rainfall to scorching summer heat.
The Central Weather Administration (中央氣象署) also placed nine other cities and counties under yellow heat alerts: Keelung, Taipei, New Taipei, Changhua, Nantou, Tainan, Kaohsiung, Yilan, and Hualien. The agency advised residents to avoid unnecessary outdoor activities, stay hydrated, and guard against heat injuries.
The heat warnings come just days after Taipei recorded its wettest June in history. The combination of a southwest monsoon surge and Typhoon Mekkhala (米克拉) pushed cumulative rainfall at the Taipei weather station to an all-time high for the month, according to Huang Treng-shi (黃椿喜), director of the CWA's Weather Forecast Center.
The dramatic weather swing follows an equally extreme May. On May 27, weather stations in Taipei and Keelung both broke same-period high temperature records, Huang said at a Tuesday morning briefing. Parts of the Greater Taipei basin, central and southern mountain areas, and the Huatung Valley recorded localized temperatures approaching or exceeding 40°C (104°F). May rainfall totaled only half of the climatological average, he added.
The heat is expected to persist through early July. The CWA forecast high temperatures of 32-35°C (89.6-95°F) across Taiwan from Wednesday through July 6. Inland areas, the Greater Taipei basin, and the Huatung Valley may see localized temperatures reaching 36°C (96.8°F).
The agency urged special attention to vulnerable populations, including the elderly, children, people with chronic illnesses, and outdoor workers, and recommended that indoor spaces be kept ventilated and cool.
Meanwhile, afternoon thunderstorms remain a daily threat. The CWA issued severe thunderstorm warnings Tuesday afternoon for Taoyuan City, Hsinchu County, and Yilan County. On Monday, the heaviest hourly rainfall reached 98.5 millimeters (3.9 inches) in Wufeng Township, Hsinchu County, with a maximum three-hour accumulation of 134 millimeters (5.3 inches) in Shuili Township, Nantou County. Scattered afternoon thunderstorms are forecast for central and northern Taiwan through Wednesday.
The volatile weather comes as Taiwan officially enters typhoon season. Huang said El Niño conditions have been confirmed and may intensify into a strong El Niño event. During El Niño years, typhoons typically form farther from Taiwan and travel longer over warm ocean waters, resulting in a higher proportion of intense storms. The CWA estimated three to five typhoons will approach Taiwan in the second half of 2026, within the normal range.
The Council of Agriculture (農業部) has begun providing cash relief and low-interest loans to farmers in Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Pingtung affected by heavy rainfall in late June. Details on the scope of agricultural damage from the current heat wave were not immediately available. ◼
