Residents fan themselves as they walk across Gwanghwamun Square in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on July 31, when the city's afternoon high reached 34 C. [Yonhap]
Residents fan themselves as they walk across Gwanghwamun Square in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on July 31, when the city's afternoon high reached 34 C. [Yonhap]

The extreme heat that drove midweek temperatures to around 40 C is forecast to ease somewhat on Sunday. Afternoon highs will still climb to between 26 and 34 C, however, and tropical nights are expected to continue across most of the country, so health precautions remain important.

Morning lows nationwide are forecast at 22 to 26 C.

Rain will fall along the east coast for a second consecutive day. Showers are forecast for the Gangwon Province coast and inland mountains, the North Gyeongsang Province east coast and northeastern highlands, as well as parts of Busan, Ulsan, South Gyeongsang Province's inland areas and Jeju Island.

Afternoon showers are also expected in parts of central Korea, including southern Gyeonggi Province, southern Gangwon Province and inland areas of the Chungcheong provinces.

Expected rainfall totals are 30 to 80 millimeters for the central and southern Gangwon east coast and mountain areas — with more than 100 mm possible in some spots — and 20 to 60 mm for the northern Gangwon east coast and mountains. The North Gyeongsang east coast and northeastern highlands can expect 30 to 80 mm, with isolated areas receiving more than 100 mm.

Busan and Ulsan are forecast to receive 20 to 60 mm, while central and eastern inland areas of South Gyeongsang Province can expect 5 to 40 mm. On Jeju Island, mountain and mid-slope areas will see 20 to 70 mm, with coastal areas receiving 5 to 30 mm.

For the afternoon showers in central Korea, southern inland areas of Gyeonggi Province and southern inland Gangwon Province can expect 5 to 40 mm. North Chungcheong Province, Daegu and inland North Gyeongsang Province are forecast to receive 5 to 60 mm, and inland South Chungcheong Province 5 to 40 mm.

Wave heights are forecast at 1.0 to 3.5 meters in the East Sea, 0.5 to 2.0 meters in the Yellow Sea and 0.5 to 2.5 meters in the South Sea. In the outer coastal waters — roughly within 200 kilometers of the shoreline — waves are expected to reach 1.0 to 3.5 meters in the East Sea, 1.0 to 5.0 meters in the Yellow Sea and 1.5 to 4.5 meters in the South Sea.


yckim6452@heraldcorp.com