"Marble-Sized" Hail Hits Various Regions... Pelting Down on Streets

[Anchor]

Loud, sudden downpours occurred today (June 14). Many were surprised as hail fell in various areas. In Seoul, a heavy rain advisory was issued for the first time this year.

Reporter Park Ha-jeong has the story.

[Reporter]

White ice pellets mixed with rain fall incessantly onto the street.

When placed in the palm of a hand, the hail is the size of a marble.

This was the scene in Dongtan-gu, Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, around 4:00 p.m. today.

[Hwaseong Resident: Large pieces, over 1.5cm, were falling not just one or two at a time, but in droves, accompanied by lightning. It was enough to knock leaves off the trees.]

Such hail fell in various parts of Gyeonggi Province, including Suwon, along with thunderstorms and sudden downpours.

In Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, heavy rain of around 25mm per hour was recorded, and a heavy rain advisory was issued for the northeastern and northwestern parts of Seoul as of 3:00 p.m.

This is the first heavy rain warning issued in Seoul this year.

[Seo Eun-jin/Korea Meteorological Administration Forecaster: As cold air passes over the Korean Peninsula, rising temperatures during the day have intensified atmospheric instability, leading to gusts, thunder, lightning, and hail in various places.]

The phenomenon where rain clouds develop rapidly due to the temperature difference between the upper and lower atmosphere amidst sweltering heat of around 30°C (86°F) can recur at any time.

With a daytime high of 32°C (90°F) expected in Seoul tomorrow, the sweltering heat is forecast to continue nationwide for the time being.

Showers of 5 to 10mm are forecast mainly for the inland regions of the Yeongnam and Honam provinces.

The Korea Meteorological Administration has advised people to refrain from camping in valleys due to the risk of sudden flooding, to be cautious of agricultural land flooding, and to exercise caution on the roads as visibility may be reduced and surfaces may be slippery.

(Video reporting: Yang Ji-hoon | Video editing: Kim Ho-jin)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.