First Snowfall of the Winter Comes Late on Yushan|玉山上午10:20降初雪 創66年來最晚紀錄

Around 10:20 a.m. on Jan. 21, the first snowfall of the winter took place on Yushan. This was the latest first snowfall on Yushan in 66 years. Due to the effects of a strong continental cold air mass, it was wet and cold all over Taiwan on Jan. 21. Starting on Jan. 22, the humidity will go down and it will be dry and cold. However, low temperatures north of Tainan could still go down to 10 degrees and 9 degrees in open, coastal areas. It will stay cold until the morning of Jan. 24.


Yushan's first snow of the season arrived at 10:20 a.m. on the 21st and the mountain received 0.7 centimeters of snow in a 25-minute span. This was the latest first snowfall of the winter on Yushan in 66 years. Granular snow began appearing at 8 a.m.

Granular snow is more like hail, but smaller. In contrast, snow floats down and snowflakes have sixfold symmetry.

Due to the southward movement of a strong continental cold air mass and a cloud and rain system moving east, weather in Taiwan will stay cold but be drier on the 22nd. Lows around the island will be 10 degrees north of Tainan and 9 degrees in open coastal areas. It will stay cold until the morning of the 24th.

It will be coldest from the night of the 22nd to the morning of the 23rd. In northeastern Taiwan and areas north of Tainan, the low will be 10 to 12 degrees. In other areas, the low will be 13 to 15 degrees.

Temperatures will slowly rebound on the morning of the 24th but the diurnal temperature range will remain large. The cold air mass will also bring haze and pollution to Taiwan. The Environmental Protection Administration says areas with existing pollution could get acid rain and everyone should use an umbrella to avoid contact with rain.