The temperature in Taiwan is the hottest it’s been in the past three decades, averaging 186 days per year with temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit). The typhoon outlook for this season is also lower than average, meaning fewer opportunities for relief from the heat.
It’s been relentlessly hot here in Taiwan. The sun is so punishing that even Tainan’s famous Guanmiao handmade noodles need protection from its rays.
According to statistics, Tainan ranks first in average number of days with temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius in a given calendar year, followed by Kaohsiung and Chiayi. Central Weather Administration (CWA) technician Liao Chi-ya (廖淇雅) elaborates that high temperature warnings are most common near the mountains, which are further away from the cooling breezes that come in over the sea.
As July approaches, the typhoon season arrives as well. Last year when Typhoon Koinu hit Taiwan, the Orchid Island weather station logged winds reaching over 95 meters per second, the highest Taiwan has ever recorded. However, as of Wednesday, only two typhoons have been observed in the Pacific, and the overall number of typhoons is lower than average.
The CWA says this is due to the effects of the La Niña weather pattern, which has resulted in typhoons forming further away from Taiwan. From June to December each year, about two dozen typhoons form in the Northeastern Pacific Ocean. This year, only a handful of them are adjacent to Taiwan.
The public is reminded to remain prepared for the possibility of typhoon activity. While the day to day summer temperatures may blow us away, knowing when to stay home with a stash of instant noodles ensures a strong wind never will.
Hanna Bilinski for RTI News