Taiwan Weather Radar

Taiwan climate

Taiwan straddles the Tropic of Cancer, giving the northern part a subtropical climate and the southern part a tropical one. The island's central mountain range, rising to nearly 4,000 meters, creates dramatic weather contrasts between the wetter eastern slopes and the drier western plains. Taiwan is one of the most typhoon-affected territories in the Western Pacific, with an average of 3-4 direct hits per year bringing torrential rainfall and destructive winds.

The plum rain season (meiyu) from May to June brings persistent rainfall as a stationary front settles over the region. Summer is hot and humid with frequent afternoon thunderstorms, while the northeast monsoon from October to March brings cool, cloudy conditions to the north and northeast coast. The mountainous interior creates extreme precipitation gradients — some mountain areas receive over 5,000mm annually while the southwest coast is relatively dry.

Taipei has a humid subtropical climate with hot, wet summers above 30°C and mild winters around 16°C, though the northeast monsoon makes winter feel damp and grey. Kaohsiung in the south is warmer and sunnier with a clearer dry season. Alishan and other mountain areas provide cool retreats from lowland heat. The east coast around Hualien and Taitung has a more tropical character with dramatic scenery where the mountains meet the Pacific Ocean.