[Anchor]
Today (July 24), serious heat wave alerts, a tier higher than standard heat wave warnings, were issued for Gyeongju and Pohang in North Gyeongsang Province. This marks the first time such an alert has been issued for Gyeongju, as the number of heat wave days nationwide has more than doubled compared to the past.
Reporter Seo Donggyun has the details.
[Reporter]
Today, the mercury in Seoul reached 32.1°C (90°F).
[Lee So-yul / Yangcheon-gu, Seoul: It is gradually getting hotter and the heat seems more intense. Combined with the monsoon season, the extreme humidity makes it much harder to bear.]
Temperatures soared to 39.2°C (102°F) in Hoengseong-dong, Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, and 38.7°C (102°F) in Gigye-myeon, Buk-gu, Pohang, prompting the issuance of serious heat wave alerts for both cities.
The serious heat wave alert is the highest level of heat warning newly established this year. It is issued when areas already under a heat wave warning are expected to experience a maximum perceived temperature of 38°C (100°F) or higher, or a daily high of 39°C (102°F) or higher.
This is the second time for Pohang, following July 12, and the first time ever for Gyeongju.
Comparing the first decade after the Korea Meteorological Administration's weather observation network expanded nationwide in 1973 with the most recent decade, data shows that the number of heat wave days has more than doubled and tropical nights have tripled.
The onset of heat waves has advanced nationwide by anywhere from 10 days to as much as a month, while tropical nights are ending 10 to 20 days later than in the past.
Terms like "June heat waves" and "September tropical nights" are gradually becoming less unfamiliar.
Among the five years with the most heat waves and tropical nights, four of the heat wave-heavy years and three of the tropical night-heavy years were concentrated within the past decade.
The Korea Meteorological Administration analyzed that this is because the North Pacific high pressure system, a hot and humid air mass during the summer, has expanded further toward South Korea compared to the past.
[Lee Kwang-yeon / Forecaster, Korea Meteorological Administration: As this intense heat and tropical nights are expected to expand nationwide next week, please take precautions to avoid heat-related damage.]
While monsoon rain is forecasted mainly for the Seoul metropolitan area this weekend, it is expected to be insufficient to cool down the scorching heat hovering around 33°C (91°F).
(Video Editing: Kim Byung-jik, Design: Park Cheon-woong, Choi Jae-young, VJ: Shin So-young)
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