Extreme heat to persist as Typhoon Dolphin clouds forecast
Southeast Korea faces life-threatening heat, with Seoul expected to grow hotter next week and Typhoon Dolphin's path likely to shape how severe the scorching weather becomes.
Foreign tourists cool off in cooling fog at Gamcheon Culture Village in Busan on July 30, as the highest-level heat wave warning remains in effect.YONHAP
Extreme heat persisted Thursday, with temperatures reaching as high as 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), mainlyacross the southeastern Gyeongsang region.
Forecasters say the heat wave could intensify next week in western parts of the country, including the greater Seoul area, while the eventual track of Typhoon Dolphin is expected to be a key variable.
“Heat wave alerts remain in effect across most of the country, with daytime highs in parts of South Gyeongsang forecast to exceed 39 degrees Celsius, reaching life-threatening levels,” the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said.
The KMA has issued its highest-level heat wave alert, a severe heat wave warning, for Yangsan, Changwon, Gimhae, Miryang, Uiryeong County and Changnyeong County in South Gyeongsang, as well as most of Busan except its eastern districts. Temperatures in those areas are forecast to climb to 39 degrees Celcius on Thursday.
Following Yangsan's 40.3 degrees Celcius reading Wednesday, there is a likehood that another city or county could surpass the 40 degrees Celcius mark. Busan, which set a 122-year temperature record at 38.8 degrees Celcius the previous day, could see temperatures rise further to 39 degrees Celcius.
Meteorologists attribute the prolonged extreme heat largely to the combined influence of two high-pressure systems covering the Korean Peninsula — the Tibetan High and the North Pacific High.
People walk under the blazing sun along a walkway in Busan on July 30, as the heat wave continues.YONHAP
The systems suppress cloud formation through strong descending air while drawing in hot, humid air, pushing up both air temperatures and heat index. In addition, westerly winds crossing mountain ranges have produced a foehn effect, causing temperatures to rise most sharply in eastern regions such as South Gyeongsang.
Clear skies are expected to continue into next week, allowing the heat wave to reach its peak. By the middle of next week, easterly winds are forecast to raise temperatures significantly in the greater Seoul region, where the daytime high could reach 37 degrees Celcius.
"As the air mass continues to warm, the high-pressure system will strengthen, and from Monday, easterly winds are expected to move in, bringing clear skies and even higher temperatures to western regions," Kang Hye-mi, a forecast analyst at the KMA, said. "People should continue to take precautions against heat waves and tropical nights for the time being."
Forecasters say it remains difficult to predict when the heat wave will end because the current pressure pattern is expected to persist.
"The heat wave began less than a week after the monsoon season ended, so it is difficult to say at this point when it will subside," Woo Jin-kyu, a KMA forecast official, said.
People walk under sun umbrellas to shield themselves from the blazing sun in Buk District, Gwangju, on July 30, as the heat wave continues.YONHAP
A key uncertainty is Typhoon Dolphin, the season's 13th named storm, which formed on Monday and has been rapidly strengthening.
Dolphin was moving west-northwest at 21 kilometers per hour (13 miles per hour) over waters about 2,280 kilometers (1,417 miles) east of Guam as of 9 a.m. Thursday.
The storm is expected to intensify to Category 5, its strongest classification under the KMA's intensity scale, later Thursday before continuing westward.
Dolphin is forecast to approach waters south of Tokyo by Tuesday, though its track beyond that remains highly uncertain. Its eventual path could significantly influence the development of the ongoing heat wave.
"If the typhoon tracks farther south, easterly winds could push temperatures even higher in the greater Seoul area," Woo said. "How the typhoon affects the broader pressure system will determine how temperatures change."
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
