Heat wave alert in effect nationwide except Mount Halla on Jeju
This photo shows people holding a parasol under the sun in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap
A heat wave advisory was issued for the eastern mountainous city of Taebaek on Tuesday, putting all areas nationwide, except for the nation's tallest mountain on the southern island of Jeju, under heat wave alerts.
A heat wave advisory is issued when the maximum apparent temperature is expected to remain above 33 degrees Celcius for two or more days, while a heat wave warning is issued when the maximum sensible temperature is likely to stay above 35 degrees, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA).
With the latest advisory for Taebaek, 181 of the 183 weather alert areas nationwide are either under a heat wave advisory or warning. Only two areas — located in Mount Halla on the southern resort island of Jeju — have not been issued with heat wave alerts.
Taebaek is usually relatively cooler than other areas in the nation as it is located in a highland basin at an altitude of 650 meters and surrounded by mountains around 1,000 to 1,600 meters tall.
The average maximum temperature in Taebaek for July and August between 1991 and 2020 stood at 25.9 degrees and 26 derees respectively.
The nation has been suffering from sweltering heat in recent days due to influences from a North Pacific high pressure system, which has blown a hot and humid southeasterly wind into the peninsula.