Clear Skies, Wide Temperature Swings Expected This Weekend; Dry Air to Bring Warmer Week Ahead

This weekend promises a return to pleasant, clear weather across the peninsula, though residents should prepare for a noticeable difference between daytime highs and nighttime lows. The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) forecasts daily temperature swings of around 15 degrees Celsius, a typical characteristic of spring weather as the seasons transition.

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For the time being, the influence of cool and dry air from the north will be dominant over our country, so this weekend (9th-10th) will be generally clear, but the temperature difference between day and night will be large, around 15 degrees Celsius.

Looking ahead to next week, a shift in atmospheric conditions is expected. A dry, cool air mass originating from the north will dominate, leading to a gradual rise in temperatures. By midweek, daytime highs could climb as high as 29 degrees Celsius in some regions, offering a taste of summer-like warmth. This warming trend is attributed to the influence of the high-pressure system, rather than the southward expansion of the subtropical high-pressure system typically associated with the East Asian summer monsoon.

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Currently, our country is receiving more influence from dry air from the north than humid air from the south, making it difficult for rain clouds from a stationary front to move north for the time being.

Recent discussions have pointed to the early onset of the rainy season in places like Okinawa, Japan, sparking speculation about a similar early start in Korea. However, the KMA clarifies that the current weather patterns are primarily driven by dry air from the north. While southern regions might see the influence of the North Pacific high-pressure system, the peninsula itself is still experiencing the periodic passage of mobile high and low-pressure systems, characteristic of spring. Therefore, a prolonged period of rain due to a stationary front is not anticipated in the immediate future, despite the rising temperatures.

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The rise in temperature recently is not related to the expansion of the North Pacific high-pressure system, but is due to the temperature rising in the lower atmosphere due to the influence of dry air from the north.