Rain falls near Banpo Han River Park in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on Sunday. [Yonhap]
Rain falls near Banpo Han River Park in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on Sunday. [Yonhap]

Temperatures across inland South Korea are forecast to climb as high as 34 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, with sudden showers expected to strike parts of the country in the afternoon.

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, the apparent temperature in many inland areas will feel as hot as around 31 C during the day. Morning lows will range from 14 to 21 C, while afternoon highs are expected to surge to between 24 and 34 C, creating a wide daily temperature swing.

The heat is set to persist for now, but atmospheric instability will bring scattered showers in the afternoon. Rain is expected at times in the northern inland and mountainous areas of Gangwon Province, the southeastern part of North Jeolla Province, and the northern parts of Gwangju and South Jeolla Province. Some areas of Jeju Island could see rainfall from late afternoon through the early hours of Wednesday.

Forecast precipitation totals are 5 to 20 millimeters for the northern inland and mountain areas of Gangwon Province, 5 to 10 mm for southeastern North Jeolla Province and the northern parts of Gwangju and South Jeolla Province, and around 5 mm for Jeju Island. In areas hit by showers, visibility may drop and roads could become slippery, and the administration urged drivers to take extra care.

Seas will be relatively calm, with wave heights of 0.5 to 1.0 meters in the near coastal waters of the East Sea and South Sea, and 0.5 meters in the near coastal waters of the West Sea. Farther offshore — within roughly 200 kilometers of the coastline — waves are expected to reach 0.5 to 1.5 meters in the East and West seas and 0.5 to 2.0 meters in the South Sea.

However, the Korea Meteorological Administration warned that waters south of Jeju Island could see gusty winds and thunderstorms, and urged vessels engaged in navigation or fishing to take precautions against maritime accidents.


hwshin@heraldcorp.com