A sweltering heat wave hit South Korea on August 15, National Liberation Day. The government issued special heat warnings for most regions across the country as the heat index, also known as the apparent temperature felt by the human body, reached 37 degrees Celsius in some areas.
As of August 14, the number of days the daily maximum temperature surpassed 33 degrees Celsius, called “heatwave days” in Korea, totaled 16.8 days, more than double the usual 7.9 days. The average temperature for August has been 28.5 degrees Celsius, which is 2.4 degrees higher than the normal average of 26.1 degrees.
Extreme heat also came with a streak of tropical nights, with temperatures remaining above 25 degrees Celsius overnight. In the southern port city of Busan, tropical nights have continued for 21 days straight since July 25, tying the record for the longest stretch set in 1994 and 2018, both of which are considered the hottest summers on record.
Seoul has similarly endured 25 consecutive tropical nights. Experts forecast that tropical nights in Seoul will continue in the foreseeable future, potentially setting a new record for the longest stretch since climate records began in 1907.
Typically, summer heat in South Korea begins to cool after National Liberation Day (August 15). However, this year, the heatwave and tropical nights are expected to persist for at least ten more days, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration.
