SEOUL, June 13 (AJP) - An early summer heatwave has gripped South Korea, driving weekend temperatures to near-record highs for the season, with forecasters warning of continued hot weather and sudden showers across the country.
On Saturday, daytime temperatures in Seoul hit 31.6 degrees Celsius, marking the first time in ten days the capital has surpassed the 30-degree mark. In Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, the mercury soared to 32 degrees Celsius, about 4 degrees higher than the seasonal average.
The state weather agency advised the public to take precautions, such as using hats or parasols, as the ultraviolet (UV) index is expected to remain "high" to "very high."
The heat is expected to persist into Sunday, with forecast highs of 29 degrees Celsius in Seoul, 30 degrees in Daejeon, and 31 degrees in Daegu. Meteorologists also warned of a stark temperature differential, noting that daytime and nighttime temperatures could fluctuate by as much as 15 degrees Celsius.
Along with the heat, unstable atmospheric conditions will trigger heavy showers accompanied by gusty winds, lightning, and hail in inland regions from Sunday afternoon through the evening.
Precipitation is expected to range between 5 and 50 millimeters in the Seoul metropolitan area, South Chungcheong, and the Jeolla provinces, with some western regions experiencing intense rainfall of around 20 millimeters per hour. Jeju Island is also forecast to receive light rain of less than 5 millimeters on Sunday.
The weather agency stated that the daytime heat, with temperatures hovering around 30 degrees Celsius, is projected to continue throughout next week.
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