Adapting to the climate in Taiwan

The climate in Taiwan can be roughly divided into 4 unevenly long seasons. Spring is from March through May, followed by summer that continues into Oct., with monsoon-cum-afternoon-thunder-showers being typical in June, and 30C-plus temps being common in summer. Autumn starts about late Oct. to last through Nov. when temps are noticeably cooler down to maybe mid-20Cs and humidity more comfy. Winter in Taiwan is balmy by N. American standards with the coldest temps being around 10C.

Humidity typically range from 60% to 80% in Taipei to dictate degree of comfort. It's very useful to install a thermometer/hygrometer gauge indoor or on the porch as reference before heading outdoor.

Cotton clothing is to be avoided in Taiwan for being an insulator to retain body heat and hard to dry after   perspiration and washing. Quick-dry clothing of synthetic fabric is recommended for obvious reasons.

A lightweight jacket of synthetic down or genuine down is more than sufficient for winter in the cities. But temps on the taller peaks in Taiwan can dip to sub-freezing in winter.       

Windbreaker and windproof-with-microfleece jacket are very practical in Taipei during winter days with temps around low 20Cs and high teens.

Carry a light windbreaker for many indoor spaces as in malls tend to keep temp as low as 20C, which may be hazardous for elderly after stepping in from 30C-plus outdoor temp in summer.   

The bottom-line: get used to tacky, damp skin in summer without air-con.

Unlike south east Asian countries, Taiwan got a very comfortable climate.

You can learn more about it here:

chinahighlights.com/taiwan/weather.htm

That depends on the humidity, wind and locale actually. In Dec. on top of Ali Mt. the temp can drop to -1C to leave you feeling like a corpse inside a morgue overnight. Damp and frozen. Hardly comfortable at all.

Focus on June-July-August

Regarding the summer climate, Taiwan is comparable to Cuba (according my friend, an American expat  and 16 year Taiwan resident.)  The sun emits a fierce sweltering heat in regular daylight hours,  I was burned quite severely during a watersport function at a Hsinchu beach.  I should have applied better sunscreen!

In mid-summer, we see almost daily rains with an occasional typhoon.  The typhoon hits the east coast most directly, and fades out by the time it reaches central and northern regions of Taiwan.  For example, a typhoon hit on 8 July 2016.  I was staying in Kaohsiung province, the southwestern region, at that time.

Visible Damage Report:

1.  The wind was strong and knocked over several potted plants and some tree limbs on the sidewalks. 
2.  I heard there was barely any damage in Taipei.  A fellow expat and FB friend posted a photo of a single broken plant... and that was all he noticed.
3.  Taichung did not even wake up from the overnight wind currents.
4.  Taidong, on the eastern seaboard, had a much heavier gust of wind and torrential downpour.

As any tropical islander should, expect to get wet in any season.  Keep an umbrella handy, and a raincoat if you plan to motor your way across sopping wet intersections.  Rubber flip-flops or variants of Crocs are common during rainy days.  One more quick tip...keep a high-absorption hand towel in your backpack.  You may need to wipe off your motorcycle helmet when body heat fogs the face-protector. 

Taiwan's Tropical Rain Considerations:

It's a wonder we don't hear more about landslides from all the water erosion.  Thankfully, Taiwanese environmentalism is a happening thing.  Many fields of study are dedicated to preserving the land and alleviating natural disasters.  When expats consider investing in property, whether for farming or building a home, I hear they usually stick to the western two quadrants.  The mountains in central Taiwan are like a natural windshield from the typhoons.  Taiwan nationals have concentrated in these western cities as well.