Temperatures across most of South Korea are expected to climb to around 30 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, the day of the nationwide simultaneous local elections, with early-summer heat persisting throughout the day. Showers are forecast for some inland areas from the afternoon into the evening.
As of 5 a.m. Wednesday, temperatures in major cities stood at 21.3 C in Seoul, 20.8 C in Incheon, 18.4 C in Suwon, 17.1 C in Chuncheon, 19.9 C in Gangneung, 20.6 C in Cheongju, 18.5 C in Daejeon, 19.4 C in Jeonju, 18.9 C in Gwangju, 21.0 C in Jeju, 17.3 C in Daegu, 19.6 C in Busan, 18.5 C in Ulsan and 18.8 C in Changwon.
Daytime highs are forecast to range from 24 C to 32 C. Temperatures in many regions are expected to exceed 30 C at midday, with the heat index reaching around 31 C in inland areas. Authorities are urging people to guard against heat-related illness when going outdoors or visiting polling stations.
Skies will be mostly clear nationwide before clouds gradually build from the morning. Showers are expected from midday into the evening, centered on the inland and mountainous areas of Gangwon Province, North Chungcheong Province, the inland Jeolla region and the inland Gyeongsang region.
Expected rainfall totals are 5 to 40 millimeters in the inland and mountainous areas of Gangwon Province, 5 to 20 mm in North Chungcheong Province, 5 to 20 mm in inland North Jeolla Province and the inland areas of Gwangju and South Jeolla Province, and 5 to 30 mm in inland Daegu, the inland and northeastern mountainous areas of North Gyeongsang Province, and inland South Gyeongsang Province.
Dense fog is forecast to linger in some southern inland areas through the morning.
Wave heights are expected to reach 0.5 to 2.0 meters in the coastal waters of the East Sea and South Sea, and 0.5 meters in the West Sea. In the open ocean, swells are forecast at 0.5 to 3.5 meters in the East Sea, 0.5 to 1.5 meters in the West Sea and 0.5 to 2.5 meters in the South Sea.
rim@heraldcorp.com
