Weather diary page
- August 8: Kaohsiung - We've been getting torrential rain and intense lightning over the last three days, mostly at night. We've had over 300m over the last three days, most of that in the last 24 hours. Last night we had steady, constant lightning for about six hours, and much the same the night before that. Meanwhile, Hawaii is getting its first typhoon in 22 years, Genevieve. Storms seem to be forming farther east in the ITCZ so far this season.
- August 11: Kaohsiung is still getting pummelled, with some districts getting over 400m in the last 36 hours, in addition to the 300 they had in the 36 before that. I never seen the sort of lightning we've been getting. Big, loud, and regular, and it's been going on every night and early morning for days now. This is regular in the foothills of the central range, but not right on the coast. In fact the first couple of years I lived here I remember missing thunderstorms. Very odd.
- August 20: Generally unstable weather since the big rains of mid August. Kaohsiung, Tainan, and Pingtung Counties were hard hit by the system that started around the 10th and kept dumping rain on us up through the 14th or so. We got typhoon levels of rain. Tainan was getting 100mils and hour at one point during that period, and parts of Kaohsiung City got over 600mils over the course of that week, maybe more. I think even Taitung got rain! A system is shaping up now in the usual spot east of the Philippines, but it may well dissipate. Kaohsiung has been partly cloudy and mostly pleasant for the last few days, with partly cloudy skies, highs in the low 30's, and afternoon showers.
Aug 21 Taidong: major downpour in Taidong tonight including close thunder and lightning - second big night rain this month - Taidong city is on 113mm - and about 70mm here - not bad going considering CWB has Taidong at 0$ chance of rain for tonight. Could see clouds building to the north east all day and two days ago there was a migration of dark but non-rain bearing clouds coming up from the south, though there was a decent ne wind today. As with previous downpour a week or so ago, there is no obvious relation with a low pressure - there is however a massive coldfront stretching right up the coast of china and beyond.
Have also noticed a significant temp drop the last week or so. It's still bloody hot, but nor that brutal level that it was in July.
Got seriously buzzed by a tu fong while working. Seems like there were a few around at the start of the season, possibly hive-site scouts, then a drop off, and now they are out searching for food again.
Aug 31 Taidong: The stupifying heat has returned and the last week has been windless, hot, and sunny from sun-up to sun-down. Seas are glassy calm. This is surely one of the hottest summers on record. A total dearth of typhoons during Aug - that can't have happened many times before - may have been something slid up to Japan early aug but no effect here and nothing else of any significance. Grass seems to have grown a bit slower - that's the only positive. Adopted two new squirrels.