Damp and chilly weekend ahead for Northern Taiwan

Damp and chilly weekend ahead for Northern Taiwan

2023-03-24

Turning now to the weather. Northern Taiwan is experiencing cloudy skies with only occasional brief showers, due to a weak front that’s passing through. But brace yourself for a dramatic turn over the weekend. According to the latest forecast, the mercury will be dropping as rains bear down in the north and northeast on Saturday. There will be a chance of rain across the entire island on Sunday. Let’s hear from a forecaster.

Kuan Shin-ping
Forecaster, Central Weather Bureau
Yesterday, along the northern coast, there was a prominent convective system extending all the way from the coastal region of southern China’s Fujian province. Its structure is very good. In meteorology, it’s known as a squall line. There’s a chance it could persist from Saturday night to Sunday. That period from Saturday night to Sunday is when the moist cloud system from southern China will have the greatest impact. The high-pressure system will gradually move eastward, pushing in colder air. Moisture from southern China is expected to follow into Taiwan, bringing a chance of rain islandwide.

Heavy rains are on the way for the East Coast and areas north of Tainan, especially the central mountain range. But if you’re in the southern part of the island, you’ll likely be in for only a quick shower. The Central Weather Bureau says relief won’t be in store for the area’s water shortage, until the plum rains arrive.

週六東北季風增強轉涼北部晚間恐迎劇烈雨勢

2023-03-24

受到微弱鋒面通過影響，北台灣天氣陰涼，時不時還會下起局部短暫陣雨。而到了週末，將有更劇烈變化，北部及東北部會先轉涼有雨，週日則是幾乎全台都有機會下雨。至於昨天北部因"颮線"颳起強風，氣象局不排除週末還會類似機會。

[[氣象局預報員官欣平]]
“昨天在北部海面這邊，從華南地區福建沿海，一路延出來比較明顯的對流帶，一條線呈現過來，結構非常好，氣象上叫做颮線，週六晚間到週日這一段，不排除還是有這樣的可能性。週六晚間到週日白天這一段，是華南雲雨區影響最為顯著的時間點，高壓逐漸往東邊移動，有比較明顯的冷空氣下來，伴隨這樣的推擠，華南地區的水氣跟著來到台灣地區，有可能全台各地都有降雨的機率”

台南以北、東半部及南部山區，都容易有短暫陣雨或雷雨，雨勢會越北越明顯，也不排除有短時強降雨出現。不過這波降雨，對中南部水情幫助不大，恐怕還是要到梅雨季才有望舒緩。

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The Taipei Metro has announced plans to build a pedestrian bridge over Civic Boulevard near Taipei Main Station, to make the area more walkable. The proposal has gotten mixed reactions. Some pedestrians say a walkway would save them time and hassle. But critics raise concerns about the impact on motorists and local businesses.

Even after rush hour, Civic Boulevard near Taipei Main Station is still busy with traffic. Along the thoroughfare, signs warn of fines for jaywalking. To cross the street, pedestrians have two options: taking an underpass connecting to the Zhongshan Metro Mall, or walking 200 meters to the nearest zebra crossing.

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Models and celebrities take to the catwalk at Kaohsiung Fashion Awards, setting the standard for fashion in the south.

Kaohsiung has invested heavily in the fashion industry, hoping to tempt rising stars to build their careers in the city.

Fashion designer Sun Yi-chih focuses intently as he cuts a piece of fabric, before taking it to the sewing machine.

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Chen saws a plank of wood up, only to reassemble it. He uses various textures and colors of wood to create many different types of products.

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Chen first got into carpentry at vocational college, then studied Wood Science and Design at university. Over seven years he’s perfected the foundational skills, and last October he was finally chosen to represent Taiwan at the WorldSkills Competition in Switzerland. He beat competitors from around the world to win a gold medal in the Windows and Doors Professional Woodworking contest.

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The task set this time was a window frame, but not just any window frame. It had to be possible to disassemble, open both inward and outward, and feature a lattice with an irregular curved edge. It had to be asymmetrical, both vertically and horizontally. And contestants were forbidden to use nails. Phew! A technical and artistic challenge.

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The hard part was these mortise and tenon joints. You have to saw them by hand. On the surface it looks like they’ve just been cut and stuck together in a simple way. But inside they’re actually very complicated. They have to be divided into many equal parts, and then you must stick the two materials together.

During the contest, Chen made a major error, but managed to fix it and complete the product within the time limit. The gold medal is a triumphant conclusion to his time at university, and a good omen as he heads out into professional life.

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