Early summer heat will grip much of Korea on Thursday, with daytime temperatures in Seoul climbing to 31 degrees Celsius. Above-average temperatures will persist for the time being, centered on the western regions. Showers are expected in the Jeolla region and the northwestern inland areas of South Gyeongsang Province.
Morning lows will range from 12 to 16 degrees, while daytime highs will range from 18 to 31 degrees. These figures are higher than the seasonal averages of 9 to 14 degrees for lows and 20 to 25 degrees for highs.
Expected daytime highs for major cities are 31 degrees in Seoul, 29 degrees in Incheon, 30 degrees in Chuncheon, 20 degrees in Gangneung, 30 degrees in Daejeon, 27 degrees in Daegu, 30 degrees in Jeonju, 30 degrees in Gwangju, 24 degrees in Busan and 24 degrees in Jeju.
The country will be mostly clear, but clouds will occasionally thicken over the Jeolla region and the northwestern inland areas of South Gyeongsang Province from the afternoon. Showers are expected in cloudy areas between noon and 9 p.m. Expected rainfall is 5 to 20 millimeters in Gwangju, South Jeolla and North Jeolla provinces, and 5 to 10 millimeters in the northwestern inland areas of South Gyeongsang Province. Gusts, thunder and lightning may accompany the showers. Drivers should exercise caution, as roads may become slippery and visibility may be reduced.
Sea fog is expected in some coastal waters. Waves will reach 0.5 to 1.0 meters in the near seas of the East Sea and South Sea, and 0.5 meters in the near seas of the West Sea. In the inner far seas, within about 200 kilometers of the coastline, waves are expected to reach 0.5 to 1.5 meters in the East Sea and South Sea, and 0.5 to 1.0 meters in the West Sea.
Fine dust levels will range from "good" to "moderate" nationwide. In some western regions, fine dust may accumulate during the morning and overnight hours due to stagnant air, but concentrations are expected to decline in the afternoon as atmospheric dispersion improves.
On Friday, daytime temperatures are forecast to rise to 32 degrees. The temperature gap between day and night will be around 15 degrees, so caution is advised regarding health management.
