Will the high temperature in South Korea break 40℃ and set a new record for the highest temperature?
South Korea encountered rare extreme high temperatures in the summer of 2018. In the past few days, the highest daytime temperature and lowest nighttime temperature in Seoul have hit the highest values in 111 years; the temperature in Gangwon Province reached 40.3°C, setting a new record for the highest temperature in South Korea.
On the morning of August 3, the sun was still shining brightly in Seoul, and the heat was sweltering. At Gwanghwamun Square in the city, many tourists and children were playing next to the fountain. Hand-held electric fans have become standard equipment for office workers in formal attire.
The rainy season in South Korea this year was shorter than in previous years and ended on July 11. After that, extreme hot weather continued. Currently, most areas in South Korea continue to issue high temperature warnings, with temperatures in many places breaking records. The highest daytime temperature in Seoul reached 39.6°C on August 1, and the lowest nighttime temperature on August 2 was 30.4°C, both setting the highest values since South Korea’s meteorological observation records in 1907. The temperature in Hongcheon County, Gangwon Province recently climbed to 40.3°C, setting a new record for the highest temperature in South Korea.
The Korean Meteorological Department calls the phenomenon when the minimum temperature is not lower than 25℃ from 18:01 that night to 9:00 the next day as a "tropical night", and the phenomenon that is not lower than 30℃ is called a "super tropical night" ". According to statistics from the meteorological department, Seoul has experienced "tropical nights" for 13 consecutive days and "super tropical nights" for 2 consecutive days; Busan, Yeosu and other places have also experienced "tropical nights" for more than 15 days.
The temperature in Hongcheon County, Gangwon Province reached 40.3 degrees Celsius that day, setting a new record for the highest temperature in South Korea. The temperature in South Korea has only reached 40 degrees Celsius once before, on August 1, 1942, when the temperature in Daegu City reached 40.0 degrees Celsius. In addition, the highest temperatures in Uiseong County, North Gyeongsang Province and Yeongwol County, Gangwon Province reached 39.9 degrees Celsius on July 27.
The temperature in South Korea has only reached 40 degrees Celsius once before. It was on August 1, 1942, when the temperature in Daegu City reached 40.0 degrees Celsius.
Rare high temperatures have also caused a surge in heatstroke illnesses. The latest statistics from the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that due to the hot weather that lasted for many days, 29 people in South Korea died from febrile diseases between May 20 and July 31. Data released by the Korea National Health Insurance Corporation predicts that as the hot weather continues, the number of heat stroke patients will increase significantly this year, and the number of patients visiting the hospital due to the extreme heat may exceed 20,000.