Taiwan Sees First Bout of Haze This Autumn|入秋首波霾害報到 富貴角測站近紅害等級

Taiwan's first bout of haze arrived on Oct. 23 when northern Taiwan recorded a high concentration of PM2.5. The air quality is expected to improve on Oct. 24.


The Environmental Protection Administration's air quality monitoring platform shows an "orange" alert flashing in northern Taiwan, which means the air is unhealthy for sensitive groups. Taiwan saw its first bout of haze since the start of fall on Oct. 23. A monitoring station in Cape Fukuei recorded a PM 2.5 concentration of 50 micrograms per cubic meter at 4 to 5 a.m. Shortly after, a sand and dust storm from China's Inner Mongolia arrived, and the PM 10 concentration peaked at 7 a.m. Luckily, the storm had a long way to travel and there was rain, so the pollution was not bad. The air quality is expected to return to normal across Taiwan on Oct. 24.

It happened to rain in the north, which reduced the overall impact. It's expected to affect the central and southern regions during the entirety of Oct. 23, and the air quality will progressively begin returning to normal tomorrow.

Oct. 23 was "Frost Descends," the 18th of the 24 solar terms. Temperatures fell across Taiwan due to the influence of the northeast monsoon. The lowest temperature recorded as of 11 a.m. was 16.1 degrees Celsius in Miaoli County's Tongluo Township. The Central Weather Bureau forecasts low temperatures early in the morning on Oct. 25 and reminds the public to stay warm.

The minimum temperature in the northern region and Yilan region is expected to be 18 to 19 degrees, and it will feel cool. The central and southern region and the Hualien-Taitung region will see a minimum temperature of around 20 degrees.

The precipitation in northern Taiwan shows signs of slacking. The CWB says it will gradually begin getting drier in the north on the evening of Oct. 23, while the central and southern regions will see sporadic rain due to the effects of a typhoon's periphery cloud system. The northeast monsoon will begin weakening starting on Oct. 25 and won't strengthen until three to four days later.



透過環保署的空氣品質監測網，可見北台灣，出現對敏感族群不健康的「橘色提醒」，入秋首波霾害報到，清晨四五點，富貴角測站出現PM2.5最高濃度、每立方公尺50微克。另外，中國內蒙的沙塵暴也隨後就到，上午七點左右PM10濃度最高，所幸傳輸路徑遠加上降雨，汙染不嚴重，預估全台灣要在明天24號，空品才會恢復正常。

環保署監資處長 張順欽表示：「北部剛好也有下雨，所以整個的影響比較輕微。對中南部，陸續大概23號，會有整天的影響，到明天開始，逐步恢復正常。」

而今天是24節氣中的「霜降」，受到東北季風影響，全台都出現降溫，截至11點，最低溫出現在苗栗銅鑼，只有攝氏16.1度，氣象局提醒，預估週日清晨會出現最低溫，民眾要做好保暖工作。

氣象局預報員 林伯東表示：「預計大概北部這個區域，還有宜蘭這個區域的話，低溫，大概會來到18到19度左右，感受上是比較涼的。其他地方，中南部以及花東地區，也大概低溫會在20度上下。」

而北台灣的降雨，也有趨緩跡象，氣象局表示，週五晚間，北方乾空氣南下，會逐漸轉乾，而中南部因受到颱風外圍雲系影響，會有零星降雨，而此波東北季風在這個週日白天、會減弱，預計要到下週三、四，才會再出現東北季風增強。