Heatwave Set to Intensify Further to 37°C in Seoul Next Week

[Anchor]

While many are wondering when this scorching heat will finally ease, the more concerning reality is that August has not even begun yet. Weather forecasts indicate that western regions, including the capital area, are expected to grow even hotter next week.

Reporter Seo Donggyun has the details.

[Reporter]

People struggle to beat the heat despite covering their faces with parasols and sunglasses and turning on portable electric fans.

Heatwave advisories and warnings remained in effect across most of the country today (the 30th), including in Seoul, where the highest temperature reached 32.7°C.

[Kim In-dong / Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi Province: Whenever I come outside these days, it is so humid and hot that sweat pours down, making it really difficult.]

The main culprit behind this extreme heatwave is a dual high-pressure system blanketing the Korean Peninsula like a double layer of blankets.

The position of the clouds is also playing a role.

This is a satellite imagery showing the locations of clouds during the daytime today.

Low-lying clouds at an altitude of about 2 kilometers, marked in red, are concentrated mainly around the western regions.

While water droplets in the clouds block sunlight from reaching the ground, the Yeongnam region lacked such a shield, allowing temperatures to rise even higher there.

Westerly winds are predominantly blowing into the lower levels of the atmosphere.

As these winds cross mountain ranges such as the Sobaek Mountains, they heat up and blow even warmer air into the eastern regions, including Yeongnam.

The high-pressure systems are expected to remain anchored over the country, causing the heatwave to persist.

However, around Monday next week, the wind direction is forecast to shift from westerly to easterly. This time, temperatures in the western regions will rise, with Seoul's temperature projected to soar up to 37°C.

[Kang Hae-mi / Forecaster, Korea Meteorological Administration: Starting around the 3rd or so, the wind will shift to easterly types. This means temperatures could rise even further in the western regions as well.]

Seoul has already experienced tropical nights for 11 consecutive days, while Seogwipo in Jeju Island has recorded them for a whopping 23 days.

(Video by Kang Dong-cheol | Video Editing by Jeon Min-gyu | Design by Kim Ye-ji)

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