TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The Taiwanese capital recorded a 12th consecutive day of temperatures above 36 degrees Celsius Wednesday, a record since the founding of the Taipei weather station 120 years ago.

The Central Weather Bureau (中央氣象局) also noted that so far in August, there had been 11 days when the mercury reached 37 degrees.

An end to the hot spell was still not imminent, with about a week of scorching temperatures still expected. Some independent weather experts mentioned the likelihood of more low-pressure areas emerging south of Japan next week, but it was still too early to predict whether those would develop into full-blown typhoons and if so, whether they would approach Taiwan.

The current record spell started on August 5, when a high of 37 was reached, and peaked two days later at 38.5 degrees Celsius. August 10 saw a modest break in the pattern, with a high of “only” 36.5 degrees, the weather bureau said. The mercury soon started climbing again to reach 38.2 on August 14.

On Wednesday, 37.8 degrees was recorded in Taipei at 11:24 a.m., while nearby Banqiao in New Taipei City had to do with a high of 37.2 at 11:52 a.m., the bureau said.

Highs for other parts of Taiwan Wednesday stood around 33 degrees, in places such as Yilan, Hsinchu, Kaohsiung, Penghu and Hengchun in Pingtung County, according to weather bureau data.

A Pacific high-pressure area covering Taiwan was helping southeasterly winds bring in warm air currents from Southern China, weather experts mentioned as the reason for the heat wave.