[Anchor]
With the recent weather characterized by heavy rain and sweltering heat, many people are checking weather forecasts more frequently. However, there is something you need to be careful about. Recently, false information regarding the weather has been spreading rapidly, particularly on social media.
Here is Lee Gyeong-won with our fact-check segment, "Fact Check."
[Reporter]
Take a look at a weather-related YouTube video from last year.
It predicted that Typhoon Nakri would strike the Korean Peninsula.
[Weather YouTube video: The entire Korean Peninsula will face an unprecedented all-out offensive from nature.]
However, this typhoon did not even pass through the Korean Peninsula.
[SBS News, October 9 last year: Typhoon Nakri has formed, but it has turned toward Japan again....]
Such false weather information becomes even more rampant during the monsoon season, when interest in the weather is particularly high.
We verified weather information circulating on social media.
There were many card-style news posts claiming things like, "It will rain for five consecutive weeks until the end of July," or specifying exactly when the monsoon season will start and end in each region.
When we asked the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), they responded that there is no place in the world that provides specific daily precipitation forecasts for a period longer than 12 days.
None of these claims are true.
The KMA even posted comments directly on those posts, stating that the information was incorrect.
Once the monsoon season ends, the sweltering heat begins.
There are forecasts claiming that extreme heat waves exceeding 40°C (104°F) will arrive in August, and they even cite plausible-sounding figures, such as a 70% probability that it will be hotter than average years.
[Weather YouTube video: According to the KMA forecast, there is a 70% probability that this summer's temperatures will be higher than average.]
However, the KMA stated in an official forecast two months ago that the probability of the average temperature in August being higher than average is 50%.
In particular, they clarified that they have never released any forecast data predicting temperatures well over 40°C (104°F) in August.
This, too, is not true.
In many cases, advertisements for dehumidifiers or automotive products are displayed alongside these weather forecasts.
It is quite common for these to be linked to product sales.
Under current law, to provide weather forecasts online, one must register as a weather forecasting business with the KMA.
Violating this can result in a fine of up to 1 million won.
Reported by Seol Min-hwan | Video by Lee So-young | Graphics by Jo Su-in | Produced by SBS Digital News
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