Taiwan is bracing for a significant weather shift, as intense heat is set to grip the island before Typhoon Mekkhala brings showers and thunderstorms later in the week. The Central Weather Administration has forecasted that temperatures could soar up to 37°C in certain regions today. Most areas are expected to experience a mix of cloudy and sunny skies, with daytime temperatures ranging from 31°C to 36°C. Notably, regions north of Taoyuan, as well as central and southern inland areas and the Hualien-Taitung Rift Valley, may see the mercury rise past 37°C.
Typhoon Mekkhala is anticipated to make its closest approach to Taiwan on Wednesday. Although the storm is not projected to make landfall, its outer bands are likely to cause occasional showers and thunderstorms in northeastern and western parts of the island. Mountainous regions in the south could also face localized heavy rainfall. As of Tuesday afternoon, the typhoon was positioned approximately 500 kilometers southeast of Oluanpi, advancing towards the Ryukyu Islands and southern Japan. Weather experts predict that Mekkhala will gradually weaken due to less favorable atmospheric and oceanic conditions.
Following the typhoon’s departure, a weather front situated north of Taiwan is expected to maintain unstable conditions through Friday and Saturday. This will result in periodic rain and thunderstorms in central and northern areas, while scattered showers are forecast for other parts of the island. The arrival of increased cloud cover and rainfall is predicted to bring down temperatures to around 30°C from Wednesday to Saturday.
Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Higos, currently positioned far east-southeast of Taiwan, is on course to move towards Japan and is not expected to impact Taiwan. This storm’s trajectory suggests it will not contribute to the weather changes anticipated on the island this week.