TAIPEI, TAIWAN – Global warming naysayers will have a hard time explaining the heat that Taiwan experienced this winter solstice.
According to the Central Weather Bureau (CWB), Wednesday’s temperature in Taipei City peaked at 30.5 degrees Celsius at 2:01 p.m. This marks the hottest winter solstice for the city in 67 years and the third hottest winter in Taipei City history.
The two other instances occurred in the early half of the 1900s, with a temperature of 31.5 degrees Celsius in 1934 and 30.7 degrees Celsius in 1948.
This kind of heat was prevalent not only in Taipei City but throughout the entire Greater Taipei region and the rest of the country.
Banqiao’s temperature reached a 14-year high of 30.7 degrees Celsius at 12:43 p.m. on Wednesday, with other regions in northern Taiwan hitting record high temperatures for this winter as well.
Tamsui experienced a temperature of 29.5 degrees Celsius and Keelung experienced 28.4 degrees Celsius.
The heat did not improve for residents living further south. Taichung reached 30.4 degrees Celsius and Tainan reached 28 degrees Celsius on the winter solstice.
The CWB reported that the combination of a cloudless sky and warm air from the southeast winds has led to more direct solar radiation, hence higher temperatures throughout the country.
This heat wave is due to pass around Thursday, Dec. 22, so Taiwan nationals should not pack away their winter gear just yet.
Read also: 9 things you may not know about Winter Solstice
How people around the world celebrate the Winter Solstice
Source: Reuters, The New Paper, The Straits Times, Shutterstock.com
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Thursday, December 22, 2016 – 13:38
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