The mercury dipped below 20 degrees in several areas of Northern Taiwan early Friday morning, with areas of New Taipei registering just 17 degrees. Forecasters say northeasterly winds will keep bringing cool and drizzly weather all the way through Sunday. They also say that this coming winter may be even colder than last year due to the La Nina effect.

It just won’t stop raining. That and low temperatures make for a gloomy streetscape, with people clutching to their jackets. Temperatures in New Taipei’s Cape Fugui dipped as low as 17 degrees on Friday morning.

Lin Ping-yu
CWB forecaster
We expect the influence of the northeasterly winds to last until Sunday. Northern Taiwan, Yilan and Hualien, may see lows of 17 to 19 degrees. From Monday, the northeasterlies will weaken, and highs around Taiwan will bounce back up by 3 to 5 degrees.

Member of the public
Before it used to be that it only got cold toward the end of the year. This year it’s cooling down sooner.

Some experts say that a cold high-pressure zone picking up strength on the east coast of China could be the reason for the unseasonal temperature drop. The Central Weather Bureau says that this winter season will likely be affected by the La Nina weather phenomenon, meaning even chillier temps could be coming.

Hsieh Pei-yun
Central Weather Bureau forecaster
Currently, forecasts from international institutions say there is the possibility that a la Nina weather pattern will develop this winter. Under the effects of La Nina, the northeasterly winds near Taiwan would be more distinct than in regular years.

Voice of Peng Chi-ming
Meteorology expert
Under a normal La Nina, sea temperatures are about 1 degree lower than the average. But the current forecasts expect sea temps to drop between 0.5 and 1 degree. So it’s not yet an extremely strong La Nina.

Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology and Japan’s Meteorological Agency also say La Nina will likely affect the weather in the coming season. But other meteorologists say it’s too early to tell just how strong its influence will be. Taiwan’s Weather Bureau says it will continue monitoring the situation for any developments in the ocean and the atmosphere.