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Summer's here already, and it could be the hottest on record

Published: 13 Apr. 2026, 18:32

A family spends time on a beach in Gangwon on April 13. [YONHAP]

Summer came early to Korea, as the country saw a sudden spike in afternoon temperatures that almost reached a high of 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) in mid-April, as experts warn of hotter days to come.

Seoul recorded a daytime high of 27.3 degrees Celsius on Monday, about 10 degrees higher than the seasonal average of 17.3 degrees, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA).

Some regions in the greater Seoul area saw their daily highs nearly reaching the 30-degree-Celsius threshold. Cheongpyeong-myeon in Gyeonggi’s Gapyeong County recorded 29.7 degrees Celsius and Eunhyeon-myeon in Yangju, Gyeonggi, saw the mercury hit 29.5 degrees Celsius. Southwestern city Gwangju also saw the temperature rise to 29.1 degrees.

Heat typically seen in late May has arrived more than a month early. The influx of warm, humid air from the south and strong sunlight with cloudless skies have heated up the atmosphere, according to the KMA.

People stay in the shade as daytime temperature surge to 27.5 degrees Celsius (81.5 degrees Fahrenheit) in South Gyeongsang on April 13. [NEWS1]

This current weather condition is expected to continue throughout the week, with Seoul’s daytime highs hovering around 25 degrees.

“As warm and humid air carried on southeasterly winds moved in, temperatures rose significantly, particularly in the southern regions which are directly affected [by the air flow] and in areas with little cloud cover,” said Woo Jin-kyu, a forecaster at the KMA. “With the country under the influence of a high-pressure system, which limits cloud formation, daytime temperatures are expected to continue to rise.”

This pattern of elevated temperatures has been observed since early spring this year.

The nationwide average temperature in March stood at 7.4 degrees Celsius, 1.3 degrees higher than the seasonal average of 6.1 degrees. In late March, many regions across the nation experienced abnormal warmth, with daytime highs exceeding 20 degrees Celsius.

March temperatures have remained above average for nine consecutive years from 2018 through this year.

A child is seen lying on near a pool-like facility in Yeouido, western Seoul, on April 12. [YONHAP]

The rise in temperatures is expected to continue into the summer months. The state-run weather agency said temperatures from April through June are likely to remain above average, citing strengthening high-pressure circulation near Korea in its three-month outlook.

El Niño, a phenomenon where eastern Pacific seawaters show warmer-than-average temperatures, is also expected to contribute to the temperature rise this coming summer. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said that El Niño is likely to develop between May and July, and persist at least through the end of the year.

El Niño tends to release vast amounts of heat trapped in the ocean into the atmosphere, raising temperatures worldwide.

Meteorologists have warned that 2026 and 2027 are likely to become the hottest years on record due to El Niño. The year 2024, which began with a strong El Niño, recorded the highest annual average temperature in history.

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.
BY CHON KWON-PIL [[email protected]]