Seoul hits 39°C for second day as severe heatwave grips capital region

South Korea remains gripped by a severe heatwave, with the capital, Seoul, recording temperatures above 39 degrees Celsius for the second day in a row on August 5. A "severe heatwave emergency" warning, indicating life-threatening conditions, remains in effect for most of the Seoul metropolitan area.

Automatic weather stations reported daytime highs of 39.3 degrees Celsius in Hanam (Hanam Deokpung) and 39.2 degrees Celsius in Seoul (Nowon). Other parts of Seoul and Gyeonggi Province, including Guro (38.9 C) and Dongdaemun (38.7 C), also experienced temperatures exceeding 38 degrees Celsius. As of 4 p.m., the severe heatwave warning was active in 62.5% of the monitored areas in the Seoul metropolitan region, along with parts of Jeonnam and Gwangyang.

The extreme heat has forced the cancellation of professional baseball games, both first and second division, scheduled for August 5. This relentless heatwave has contributed to an unusually high number of tropical nights and hot days this summer. The cumulative number of tropical nights has reached 12.1 days, setting a new record for the period, while the number of hot days ranks fourth historically.

The Korea Meteorological Administration has urged the public to take extreme care in managing their health, warning that the highest perceived temperatures are expected to remain around 35 degrees Celsius nationwide for the foreseeable future. The agency advised continued vigilance against the oppressive heat.

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For the time being, the highest perceived temperatures in most areas nationwide are expected to rise to around 35 degrees Celsius, making it very hot, so please take special care to manage your health.