Snow falls on Yushan for third day this month

A light dusting of snow fell over Yushan this morning, leaving about a centimeter of accumulation on Taiwan's tallest peak. Temperatures were chilly across the country and will stay that way for another two days. Forecasters say to expect lows of 14 degrees in Northern Taiwan, as northeasterly winds sweep in on Thursday.

Spring is already here, but in Yushan, it’s a snowy landscape.

Liu Yu-chi, CWB forecaster: This wave of water vapor brought more moisture to mountainous regions. In Yushan, the temperature and moisture conditions were just right. Snow was recorded today from 7:10 a.m. to 8:40 a.m. The snowfall has already stopped. At present, there’s about 1 centimeter of accumulation.

The Central Weather Bureau says snow in March isn’t as rare as it would seem. Over the past 30 years, Yushan has averaged 3.8 snowy days in March. The mountain’s heaviest snowstorm on record, which dumped 280 cm of snow, also occurred in March. Forecasters say the front will soon move away from Taiwan, leaving the weather cold and dry. Northeasterly winds will blow in starting Thursday, sending temps even lower. Northern Taiwan will get lows of 14 degrees, while central and southern parts of the island will fall to 18. It’ll feel just like winter once again.

Liu Yu-chi, CWB forecaster: After the front passes, starting tomorrow, we’ll be under the influence of northeasterly winds. Temperatures will be lower in the morning, with 14 or 15 degrees forecast for the north, and 18 degrees for other areas of Taiwan. It’s bound to be chilly tomorrow morning, so make a note of that.

The northeasterly winds are only expected to affect Taiwan for a day, with temperatures bouncing back on Friday. Highs could climb to a 27 to 28 degrees islandwide. Big temperature swings are in store the next three days, so be sure to dress for the weather.