Scorching heat replaces monsoon

[Anchor]

Today (7.1) was another scorching hot day.

It is the monsoon season, but instead of rain, a heatwave is prevailing.

What is going on? Our meteorology specialist Kim Min-kyung has the report.

[Report]

The city was filled with sweltering heat during the day.

As the scorching sun poured down, citizens visiting the park hurried to find shade.

With daytime temperatures reaching 36.7 degrees in Gangneung and 31.8 degrees in Seoul, the heatwave warning areas have increased nationwide.

[Kwon Hye-jo/Gangseo-gu, Seoul: "It's so hot that I'm sweating a lot, and it's humid right now, so I feel like I have to use a sun umbrella."]

It’s been less than two weeks since the monsoon season began, but the rain is nowhere to be seen.

Instead, a heatwave has taken over.

The stationary front that typically hovers between central and southern Korea this time of year has shifted unusually far north—beyond North Korea.

This shift is due to the expansion of the North Pacific high-pressure system, which has stretched unusually far north into central Korea this year.

The cause of this unusual pressure pattern lies in the massive rain clouds forming over the sea east of the Philippines.

These "tropical disturbances," often called the seeds of typhoons, are releasing large amounts of moisture into the atmosphere, strengthening the high-pressure system.

[Kim Byeong-kwon/Meteorological Administration Forecast Analyst: "The hot North Pacific high is expected to continue developing toward the Korean Peninsula, raising temperatures and causing persistent humid heatwaves for the time being."]

As the heatwave continues, the government held an emergency meeting to review response measures and urged the public to follow safety guidelines, including limiting outdoor activities.

This is KBS News, Kim Min-kyung.