Hail and Heavy Showers: Seoul Issues First Heavy Rain Advisory of the Year

[Anchor]

Many of you were likely caught off guard by the volatile weather yesterday (June 14). Showers accompanied by hail fell in various parts of the country, and Seoul saw its first heavy rain advisory of the year issued.

Reporter Park Ha-jung has the story.

[Reporter]

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

When placed in the palm of a hand, they are clearly marble-sized hailstones.

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

[Hwaseong Resident: Large ones, over 1.5 cm, weren't just falling one or two at a time—they were pouring down along with lightning. It was enough to knock leaves off the trees.]

Such hail fell in various parts of Gyeonggi Province, including Suwon, accompanied by thunder, lightning, and heavy showers.

In Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, intense rain fell at a rate of around 25 mm per hour, leading to a heavy rain advisory 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/Forecaster, Korea Meteorological Administration: 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 many areas.]

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 daytime highs reaching around 32°C (90°F) in Seoul, the hot weather is expected to continue nationwide for the time being.

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

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

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