Taipei, Jan. 9 (CNA) The first snow of the year fell on Xueshan and Hehuanshan on Tuesday as temperatures in Taiwan dropped to the lowest level this winter with the arrival of a cold surge.
Amid low temperatures and high levels of moisture, snow began falling on the main peak of Xueshan (Snow Mountain) in central Taiwan around 2 a.m., said Chuang Ming-hsien, head of the fifth division of the Seventh Special Police Corps.
The snowfall occurred above altitude 3,100 meters on the mountain, accumulating to 10-20 centimeters, Chuang said.
On Hehuanshan, meanwhile, soft hail fell Tuesday morning, followed by snow, which accumulated on sections on the mountain highway, according to the Central Weather Bureau (CWB).
As a result, the Nantou County Police Bureau said, traffic on a section of Provincial Highway No. 14 had been limited to vehicles with tire chains, as of 6:30 a.m. Tuesday.
Traffic controls have also been put in place in other areas of the mountain due to the risk of accidents in conditions of rain and melted snow, the bureau said.
While the rain is forecast to let up Wednesday, the weather is expected to remain chilly, Chuang said, warning hikers on Xueshan trail to be mindful of ice and frozen patches on the trails.
