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After U.S. officials claimed an alleged Taepodong-2 missile had been loaded with liquid fuel on Sunday, the final stage before the launch, the weather at the North’s launch facility in Hwadae-gun, North Hamgyeong Province has been either stormy or overcast from Sunday to Tuesday. Experts say missile and satellite launch equipment is affected by such weather.

Rockets that use liquid fuel have a hard time picking up speed in the initial stages, need ground control and are sensitive to atmospheric conditions. The enormous electricity of lightening can cause the missile’s onboard electronics to malfunction, making a launch in such weather impossible. After the launch, the location of the missile must be tracked by radar and other means, but inclement weather makes the process much more difficult.

South Korea believes the North is more likely to be launching a satellite. "Satellite launches are only carried out when there are no electrically charged clouds within a 14km area," one expert with the Korea Aerospace Research Institute said. With the rainy season set to start this week, it looks as if North Korea will only have a narrow window of opportunity for any launch.

(englishnews@chosun.com )