Another cold wave has hit Taiwan, and mountainous areas of the island may soon see the first snow of 2021. Snowfall may begin as soon as Thursday afternoon, and crowds have flocked to the top of one mountain in particular in the hopes of catching a rare view of snow in Taiwan.
At the top of Hehuan Mountain in the central county of Nantou, there’s a sense of anticipation in the air. Here, at over 3000 meters of elevation, a cold snap has pushed the mercury down to just 1C, with temperatures expected to fall further from Thursday afternoon.
There’s plenty of moisture in the air, too, and meteorologists say that could mean snow.
News of the possible snowfall, which would be the first of the year, spread quickly. A parking lot for visitors to the mountain filled up Thursday morning. Some had driven from as far away as Taipei, having set off before daylight.
With COVID-19 making travel abroad to more snowy climes impossible for now, Taiwanese people are taking to their mountains instead for the chance to see rare snow.