Snowfall continues to intensify！Hehuan Mountain and Yushan transform into a silver-white winter wonderland；mountain roads see surging traffic

▲ Snow scenery at Hehuan Mountain’s North Peak. (Photo／NetizenpeiisverystrongProvided. Please do not reproduce without permission to avoid copyright infringement)

Travel Center／Comprehensive Report

The continental cold air mass continues to wreak havoc, turning Hehuan Mountain and Yushan into a silver-white winter wonderland！Early this morning (the 9th), Hehuan Mountain experienced another round of ice pellets, and at around 11 AM, a netizen posted, “There’s still a lot of moisture in the air, and snow accumulation keeps increasing.” In addition, Yushan also saw snowfall starting at 4 AM today. Despite severe traffic congestion, visitors remain undeterred in their enthusiasm to chase the snow on the mountain.

A total of 18 weather stations across Taiwan have successively set new records for the lowest temperatures since winter began. Ice pellets fell at Wuling on Hehuan Mountain in the early hours, and the Provincial Highway 14A (Hehuan Mountain Highway) implemented preemptive closures at Cuifeng in Ren’ai Township and Dayuling in Hualien County. The road reopened for traffic at 7 AM today, with approximately 200 vehicles passing through the Cuifeng checkpoint. Currently, traffic is heavy from Cuifeng to Wuling, and vehicle speeds are slow.

The Second Maintenance and Engineering Office of the Directorate General of Highways dispatched snowplows in the morning to clear accumulated snow on the roads. On the Hehuan Mountain Highway, the section from Wuling at the 31-kilometer mark to Xiaofengkou at the 36-kilometer mark has icy road surfaces, requiring vehicles to use snow chains to proceed.

▲ Hehuan Mountain turns into a snow kingdom, with many people building snowmen. (Photo／Netizenfranklep_0904Provided. Please do not reproduce without permission to avoid copyright infringement)

Yushan also experienced continuous snowfall starting around 4 AM this morning. By 7 AM, the accumulated snow depth reached 1 centimeter. Due to slippery conditions on the snow-covered trail to Yushan’s main peak, the Yushan National Park Headquarters advised hikers not to attempt reaching the summit and to descend the mountain early. The Central Weather Bureau also stated that although there was 1 cm of snow accumulation on Yushan, the moisture in the afternoon decreased significantly, greatly reducing the likelihood of further snowfall.

▲ Yushan welcomes fresh snowfall once again. (Photo／Provided by the Central Weather Bureau)

With the blessing of fresh snow on both Hehuan Mountain and Yushan, and coinciding with a holiday period, many visitors braved the low temperatures and drove overnight to the mountains. Netizens also live-streamed and posted on the Hehuan Mountain Snowball Play Facebook page: “11:26 – there’s still a lot of moisture in the air, and snow accumulation keeps increasing,” “The Wuling parking lot is already full, and it’s still continuously snowing,” “We were stuck for over an hour because some cars ahead didn’t have snow chains installed, or they were putting them on by the roadside.” Visitors are reminded to pay attention to safety and keep warm, and ensure that their vehicles are equipped with snow chains and properly inspected before the trip.