Rain on a holiday? May welcomes the first wave of summer plum rain, bringing cooler weather

By MOOK Scenic Spots Home, compiled and reported

On May 1, Labor Day, a frontal system passed through and the northeast monsoon strengthened, bringing cooler weather to northern and northeastern Taiwan, with temperatures between 19–21°C. Showers or thunderstorms are expected in western and northeastern regions, with localized heavy or torrential rain possible. Other areas may also see brief showers or thunderstorms. Southern Taiwan will see temperatures between 23–28°C.

From the morning of May 2 to 3, the frontal system moved south to the Bashi Channel, and the northeast monsoon brought cooler weather to northern and northeastern Taiwan. Temperatures will only rise slightly by about 3–4°C on Friday. Showers or thunderstorms are expected in central and southern Taiwan, with localized heavy rain possible. Temperatures will be around 21–26°C, and other areas may also see brief showers or thunderstorms.

On Sunday, May 5, another frontal system approaches, bringing localized brief showers to northern and eastern Taiwan, while most other areas will be mostly cloudy, with localized brief thunderstorms in the afternoon.

Taiwan’s plum rain occurs because during this season, the cold air mass from the continent and the warm air mass from the Pacific are evenly matched, often resulting in a stalemate over southern China, Taiwan, and the Ryukyu Islands, forming a stationary front (also known as the plum rain front). This front frequently brings low-pressure disturbances accompanied by moderate to heavy thunderstorms, providing abundant rainfall to Taiwan.