Cumulative Rainfall at 60% of Historical Average; CWA Hopes June Rains Will Relieve Drought in Central and Southern Taiwan

Central Weather Administration (CWA) Director-General Lu Kuo-chen stated today that the cumulative rainfall across Taiwan this year is only 60% of the historical average for the same period. It is expected that the southwest monsoon will enter Taiwan in June, and a rainy period of about a week is estimated to begin around June 7, which is hoped to bring rain to the central and southern regions to alleviate the drought. Premier Cho Jung-tai visited the CWA and its supercomputer server room today along with Minister of Transportation and Communications Chen Shih-kai. In his briefing, Lu stated that cumulative rainfall across Taiwan is only 60% of the historical average. Specifically, rainfall in the plains is 60% to 80% of the average in central and northern Taiwan, and only 30% to 60% in the south, while mountain areas are at 50% to 70%. Lu noted that rainfall in the south will become more significant after the plum rain season begins, but the season has not truly arrived yet. A rainy period is expected in early June, around June 7, which is hoped to bring relief to the central and southern regions. Lu also warned that because there is a trend of short-duration heavy rainfall, early preparations for disaster prevention are necessary. Additionally, Lu stated that the El Niño phenomenon is expected to continue until the end of the year, meaning typhoons will likely form further away from Taiwan, allowing them more time to develop and potentially becoming stronger. While the number of typhoons generated in the Pacific is expected to be higher than average, the number of typhoons hitting Taiwan is still expected to fall within the normal range of 3 to 5.