Students cool off by walking through a fountain at Gwanghwamun Square in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on July 7. (Yonhap) Heavy rain across the greater Seoul area and Gangwon Province is expected to ease later Friday, giving way to a spell of hot and humid weather likely to last through the weekend and into early next week.The Korea Meteorological Administration said the strongest rainfall would remain concentrated in northern Gyeonggi Province and inland areas of northern Gangwon Province through the morning, with some areas likely to see intense downpours before conditions improve later in the day.The agency warned that rivers and streams could rise quickly, especially in northern parts of the country, where heavy rain in North Korea could also affect downstream areas such as the Imjin River.It urged people to stay away from rivers, valleys, underpasses and other flood-prone areas.Although most of the rain is expected to let up by late morning, scattered showers could develop later Friday across inland areas, including parts of Gyeonggi, Gangwon, Chungcheong, northern inland North Jeolla and western inland South Gyeongsang. Some areas may see gusts, thunder and lightning.The focus is expected to shift quickly from rain to heat.Daytime highs are forecast to rise above 30 degrees Celsius in most parts of the country from Friday, with the heat index climbing higher in areas already under heat advisories.The heat is expected to build over the weekend as humid southwesterly winds move in and the North Pacific high-pressure system expands over the peninsula.Heat advisories currently in place mainly in the Yeongnam region are likely to spread to more areas.Seoul is forecast to see daytime highs of around 32 degrees Celsius from Saturday, with nighttime temperatures hovering near 25 degrees Celsius, the threshold for a tropical night.Across much of the country, daytime highs are expected to reach around 33 degrees Celsius over the weekend.The hot and humid conditions are likely to continue into early next week, raising concerns over heat-related illnesses. Fine dust levels are expected to remain “good” nationwide Friday.