Did the Heat Wave Prevent the Typhoon? Soudelor Pushed Toward China

00:00 Did the North Pacific High, which caused the heat wave, push the typhoon toward China?

01:29 Why are southern regions on high alert?

1. Did the North Pacific High, Which Caused the Heat Wave, Push the Typhoon Toward China?

Looking at satellite imagery of South Korea, two massive cloud formations stand out. First, Typhoon Soudelor, the 18th typhoon of the season, can be seen passing Okinawa, Japan. Linear rain clouds covering the area from China to North Korea are also visible. These rain clouds stationed over North Korea are secondary monsoon rain clouds. Because of this, the Seoul metropolitan area and Gangwon Province experienced cloudy weather today, blocking out the sunlight. As temperatures dropped compared to yesterday, the intensity of the heat subsided a bit. Tomorrow, temperatures in Seoul will be 31°C (88°F) and Gangwon Province 30°C (86°F), similar to today. The rain clouds developed along the edge of the North Pacific High settled over South Korea. However, the southern regions still experienced sweltering heat under the influence of the North Pacific High, reaching heat wave warning levels above 35°C (95°F). From tomorrow, however, rain will begin in the southern regions as well, gradually easing the heat. Currently, the 18th typhoon, Soudelor, is passing north of Okinawa, Japan today. The typhoon's intensity is level 3, which falls into the middle category among the five typhoon stages, and winds at its center are blowing at 37 meters per second. Although it is currently moving northwest, it is blocked by the North Pacific High and cannot reach South Korea. It is expected to gradually change direction and make landfall on the southeastern coast of China around the 28th. Since the distance to Jeju Island at its closest point will be 580 kilometers, South Korea will not be directly affected by the typhoon. While the North Pacific High brought the heat wave, it also served as a reliable shield blocking the typhoon.

2. Why Are Southern Regions on High Alert?

However, due to the positions of the North Pacific High and the typhoon, the weather in the southern regions is also facing significant changes. Starting tomorrow, as the typhoon passes north of Taiwan, a large amount of moisture will flow in along the edge of the North Pacific High, bringing rain mainly to South Gyeongsang and South Jeolla provinces. Because the typhoon itself rotates counterclockwise and sucks in surrounding air like a vacuum cleaner, it plays a role in absorbing moisture. In fact, typhoons gather moisture toward their centers. Therefore, the typhoon does not directly supply moisture to South Korea. However, a counterclockwise flow forms around the typhoon, while the North Pacific High rotates clockwise. A southerly wind develops along the path between the low-pressure typhoon and the high-pressure North Pacific High, and this southerly wind draws moisture from the south toward the southern coast. Consequently, tomorrow's rainfall will be 10 to 60 mm in South Gyeongsang and South Jeolla provinces, and 5 to 30 mm in Jeju Island. What is concerning, however, is the southern coast of South Gyeongsang Province, including Geoje and Tongyeong, which suffered damage from previous heavy rains. The southern coast of South Gyeongsang Province could see more than 80 mm of heavy rain tomorrow alone, with downpours reaching up to 20 mm per hour. While this is not an unusually large amount normally, extra caution is required against additional damage because the ground is already weakened. Rain will continue to fall on Friday driven by southerly winds, and Busan's temperature, which was 35°C (95°F), will gradually drop to 32°C (90°F) tomorrow and 30°C (86°F) on Friday. As rain is expected across the country this weekend, the intensity of the heat wave will gradually weaken nationwide, while daytime heat of around 30°C will continue amidst humid weather.

(Photo: Yonhap News)

Reported by Jeong Gu-hui | Produced by Shin Hee-sook | Video by Bae Mun-san | Graphics by Kim Hye-ju | Design by Yook Do-hyun | Produced by SBS Digital News

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