South Korea battling high temperatures with heat wave warnings expanded

After seeing mass damage from torrential rain and floods, South Korea is now under extreme heat nationwide.

And it's only looking to get hotter in the coming days.

Byeon Ye-young tells us more.

Korea is experiencing record-breaking heat, with Seoul expected to climb to 38 degrees Celsius over the weekend.

On Thursday, the Korea Meteorological Administration issued heat wave warnings for Seoul and other areas of the country.

Additional heat wave advisories have been issued as well.

For Seoul, this marks the first heat wave warning issued in 11 days.

A heat wave warning is issued when the maximum daily perceived temperature is expected to exceed 35 degrees Celsius for at least two consecutive days, and a heat wave advisory is issued when the perceived temperature is expected to exceed 33 degrees.

A heat wave alert may also be issued when significant damage is expected due to extreme heat.

Korea has recently seen an unusual pattern of heat waves and torrential rains, leading to a surge in heat-related illnesses, widespread flooding, and landslides.

This has been caused by a combination of factors.

"The reason why this year's heatwaves in Korea have been particularly severe is due to the air masses that dominate Korea's summer, namely the North Pacific air mass and the Tibetan air mass."

High sea surface temperatures near the Philippines have intensified the North Pacific high, which expanded northwestward this year due to the lack of descending Arctic air.

Additionally, reduced snowfall over the Tibetan Plateau and warmer Indian Ocean waters pushed the Tibetan high further north, increasing its impact on South Korea.

The heat is expected to get worse over the next few days.

"In densely populated urban areas, the urban heat island effect adds to the heat, so actual temperatures in city centers where we live could approach 40 degrees Celsius."

The Korea Meteorological Administration warns of potential atmospheric instability next week due to interactions between typhoons and other systems, and urges the public to stay updated and respond accordingly.

Byeon Ye-young, Arirang News.