Mid-July is usually the monsoon season here in South Korea. <br />But that's not the case this year.<br />Instead we're experiencing a real scorcher of a summer.<br />The dry and very hot conditions are set to last at least a week... and could last the rest of the month and well into August.<br />That said,... Korea isn't the only country in Northeast Asia that's feeling the heat as our Hong Yoo reports. <br /> Hiding under the shade and fanning themselves,... people try to deal with the scorching weather in South Korea but they cannot escape from the heat.<br />A heat wave warning has been issued for almost all regions except some coastal and mountainous areas. <br /> The temperature in Seoul hit 34 degrees Celsius on Wednesday and Gwangju was as hot as 36 degrees,... much hotter than Tuesday.<br />The weather was worst for Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk-do with the temperature rising to 37 degrees Celsius at noon. <br />This year the monsoon season has finished earlier than last year.<br />But South Korea is not the only country experiencing this unusual weather.<br />Other East Asian countries such as Japan and China are also experiencing a heat wave.<br /> Experts say that a huge high temperature belt has formed around East Asia, heating up the region. <br />Some areas of Japan even hit 40 degrees Celsius on Wednesday. <br />The sweltering heat in Japan started last Sunday and it is expected to continue until the end of the month.<br /> Meanwhile, Beijing hit 33 degrees Celsius. The heatwave began on Wednesday after the end of the torrential rain that had soaked Beijing since Sunday.<br />98.1 millimeters of rain fell on Beijing last Sunday alone, the most ever recorded in Beijing in a single day.<br /> As the scorching heat is causing heatstroke in South Korea and Japan, meteorological agencies advise people to avoid excessive outdoor activities and to pay special attention to their health.<br />Hong Yoo, Arirang News. <br />
