Korea heat wave spreads west as Seoul nears 38C, South Jeolla heat index hits 40C
Extreme heat is expanding westward, with Seoul nearing 38 degrees Celsius, southern regions facing life-threatening conditions and Typhoon Dolphin adding uncertainty.
A pedestrian uses a sun umbrella to shield against the heat while crossing a street in Seoul on Aug. 3.NEWS1
Extreme heat is expected to spread farther west on Monday, sending daytime highs in the Seoul metropolitan area to as high as 38 degrees Celsius (100.4 degrees Fahrenheit).
The heat index is also expected to reach 40 degrees Celsius in parts of South Jeolla.
"Daytime highs on Monday are expected to range from 33 to 39 degrees Celsius, similar to Sunday," the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said. "Temperatures in South Jeolla and South Gyeongsang are expected to exceed 39 degrees Celsius, bringing extreme heat at life-threatening levels."
Yangsan in South Gyeongsang, which set a new national temperature record of 42.5 degrees Celsius on Sunday, had already reached 37.9 degrees Celsius by 11 a.m. Monday.
The Yeongnam region — the area encompassing Busan, Ulsan, Gyeongsang provinces and Daegu — where temperatures have exceeded 40 degrees Celsius for five consecutive days, is likely to exceed that mark again.
Heat index hits 40 degrees in Yeosu
Temperatures in regions west of the Taebaek mountain range are expected to rise significantly from Monday as easterly winds cross the mountains and warm through compressional heating before descending on the western side.
The KMA issued its highest-level extreme heat emergency warning for eastern Gwangju and cities of Boseong, Yeosu, Gwangyang, Suncheon and Gokseong in South Jeolla. Gwangju is forecast to reach 39 degrees Celsius during the day, while the heat index in Yeosu is expected to reach 40 degrees Celsius.
A truck sprays water on the road to ease sweltering heat in Chuncheon, Gangwon on Aug. 3.YONHAP
"People should suspend all nonessential outdoor activities and work whenever possible, and move to cool places such as shaded areas, heat shelters or air-conditioned facilities to rest and stay hydrated," a KMA official said.
Seoul is expected to reach a daytime high of 37 degrees Celsius, more than 2 degrees higher than Sunday's 34.9 degrees Celsius. Some parts of the metropolitan area could exceed 38 degrees Celsius.
"Stronger easterly winds could push temperatures even higher in the metropolitan area, prompting some heat advisories to be upgraded to warnings or the issuance of the highest-level extreme heat emergency warning," the KMA said.
Scattered showers are expected across parts of the southern regions on Tuesday, likely easing the heat wave that has pushed temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius. However, daytime highs are still expected to remain around 37 degrees Celsius, and the heat index could climb after the rain because of high humidity.
Dolphin's path could worsen or ease the heat wave
Typhoon Dolphin, the year's 13th named storm, is another factor that could affect the heat wave.
As of 9 a.m. Monday, Dolphin was moving west-northwest at 18 kilometers per hour (11 miles per hour) over waters about 1,520 kilometers (944 miles) east of Okinawa, Japan. It had a central pressure of 940 millibars and maximum sustained winds of 47 meters (154 feet) per second, maintaining a Level 4 intensity on the KMA's five-tier scale.
A map shows super typhoon Dolphin's projected trackKOREA METEOROLOGICAL ADMINISTRATION
The typhoon is forecast to pass over Okinawa on Friday as it continues westward, though its path afterward remains highly uncertain. If it continues toward China, it is expected to strengthen easterly winds, worsening the heat wave.
There is also a possibility that the storm could turn north and directly affect Korea. While that could help ease the heat wave and drought conditions, it could also bring typhoon-related damage.
"Temperatures and rainfall patterns may change depending on the typhoon's track and surrounding atmospheric conditions," the KMA said.
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.
