The Central Weather Administration (CWA) said on Tuesday that current measurements put this year’s autumn on track to be the fourth warmest on record in Taiwan. CWA official Chen I-liang (陳怡良) says the average temperature in Taiwan's 11 major cities was 25.7 degrees Celsius, 0.6 degrees higher than the historical average. Rainfall was close to average, with a total of 549.9 millimeters recorded across the country.
However, there were some regional variations in rainfall. Central and southern Taiwan received significantly more rain than usual due to typhoons, while northern Taiwan received less. In addition, this year will see the fifth driest November on record, with only 35.2 millimeters of rainfall.
The CWA says that only four typhoons formed in the northwestern Pacific Ocean this year, compared to the historical average of 10.87. This is the lowest number of autumn typhoons since 1958.
As winter approaches, the CWA expects that temperatures and rainfall will remain average to slightly above average for the next three months. However, the CWA warns that cold fronts and winter storms are still possible even during a warm winter. It adds that central and southern Taiwan will soon enter their dry season, so it is important to conserve water.