Heat alerts have been issued for most parts of Taiwan on Wednesday, with temperatures expected to hit 36-38 degrees Celsius, according to the Central Weather Bureau (CWB).

An “orange” heat alert was issued for Nantou County, Yunlin County, and Chiayi City in central Taiwan; Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Pingtung County in southern Taiwan; as well as Hualien and Taitung counties in eastern Taiwan, the bureau said.

According to the CWB’s three-level heat advisory system, an orange warning is issued if the maximum temperature reaches 38 degrees Celsius in one day or 36 degrees for at least three consecutive days.

A “yellow” heat alert was also issued for Taipei and New Taipei in the north, indicating a one-day high of 36 degrees.

Elsewhere, daytime highs will reach 32-35 degrees on Wednesday, with a chance of afternoon thunderstorms in mountainous regions, the CWB said.

Wu Der-rong (???), a meteorologist and adjunct associate professor of atmospheric sciences at National Central University, said the hot and sunny weather might continue through Thursday under the influence of a strong Pacific high-pressure system.

The weather could turn more humid afterwards through June 28 following the retreat of the high-pressure system, with higher chances of showers and thunderstorms in both mountainous and low-lying areas, Wu said.

There is also a 40-percent chance that a tropical disturbance will develop in the Northwest Pacific within 10 days, Wu said, adding that further observation is needed to see if the weather system will turn into a storm.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel