Climate
The climate on the island is generally marine and varies widely by season in the Northern part and the mountain areas. The South, however, belongs to the tropical belt and is warm and humid all year. From May to June it's rainy season, with almost daily showers. From July to October typhoons are most likely to strike, on average about four direct hits per year. In the northern part of Taiwan, cloudiness is persistent and extensive during the year; in the south, however, the rainy days are always in the summertime, and 90% of the annual precipitation falls during this period. The annual rainfall is usually more than 2,500 mm (98.4 in), close to 5,000 mm (196.9 in) in some Eastern regions.
Intensive rain from typhoons often leads to disastrous mudslides.
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Bracing on the side of a mountain in Chiayi County prevents landslides caused by typhoons.
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Natural-colour satellite image of landslide scarred mountains in central Taiwan.
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Shiukuluan River in Hualien County
Read more about this topic: Geography Of Taiwan
Famous quotes containing the word climate:
“A tree is beautiful, but whats more, it has a right to life; like water, the sun and the stars, it is essential. Life on earth is inconceivable without trees. Forests create climate, climate influences peoples character, and so on and so forth. There can be neither civilization nor happiness if forests crash down under the axe, if the climate is harsh and severe, if people are also harsh and severe.... What a terrible future!”
—Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (18601904)
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—Ralph Waldo Emerson (18031882)
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—Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (18601904)