Climate

CJCU is half a degree south of the Tropic of Cancer and has a climate that is transitional between humid subtropical and tropical. The city has high humidity and fairly warm tempera- tures year-round, but there is a season of cooler weather between the months of November to March. During this time, cold fronts from the Eurasian mainland bring dips in temperature that last for several days at a time, so students should be prepared with jackets and warm bedding.

Compared to Taipei, Tainan enjoys a large number of sunny days. The UV index is also generally high, so students should be careful to protect their skin, especially when swimming or riding on motorcycles.

Most of Tainan’s yearly rainfall falls in the months of April-September. A period of show-ers traditionally referred to as the “plum rains” may begin in May or June. Typhoons are most common from July to September, but the Tainan area is generally well-protected from these storms by Taiwan’s Central Mountain Range. In the mountains themselves, heavy rains associated with typhoons often wash out roads and bridges and cause landslides, so during typhoons, people should stay out of mountain areas (and away from the coasts). They should also prepare several days of water, because typhoon-related landslides may damage reservoirs.