Taiwan is bracing for a day of scorching heat, with temperatures predicted to soar up to 37°C in some areas. Following this heatwave, the island will likely see weather changes as Typhoon Mekkhala’s outer bands are expected to bring showers and thunderstorms later in the week. The Central Weather Administration reports that most regions will experience partly cloudy to sunny skies, with daytime temperatures ranging from 31°C to 36°C. Notably, areas north of Taoyuan, the central and southern inland regions, along with the Hualien-Taitung Rift Valley, could see temperatures surpassing 37°C.
The closest approach of Typhoon Mekkhala to Taiwan is anticipated on Wednesday, although the storm is not projected to make landfall. However, the storm’s outer circulation might lead to sporadic showers and thunderstorms in northeastern and western parts of Taiwan, with the southern mountainous areas facing potential heavy rainfall. As of Tuesday afternoon, Mekkhala was positioned approximately 500 kilometers southeast of Oluanpi, advancing towards the Ryukyu Islands and southern Japan. Weather experts predict a gradual weakening of the typhoon due to less supportive atmospheric and oceanic conditions.
Once the typhoon moves away, a weather front situated north of Taiwan is expected to maintain unstable conditions through Friday and Saturday. This could result in intermittent rain and thunderstorms across central and northern Taiwan, with scattered showers anticipated in other parts of the island. The increase in cloud cover and precipitation is likely to reduce temperatures to around 30°C from Wednesday to Saturday.
In the meantime, Tropical Storm Higos, currently located far to the east-southeast of Taiwan, is projected to head towards Japan and is not expected to have any impact on Taiwan’s weather. Despite the looming tropical systems, it appears Taiwan will mainly contend with the effects of Typhoon Mekkhala’s outer bands, bringing a brief respite from the heat with the forecasted showers and thunderstorms.