Seoul Issues First Heatwave Advisory of Year, 12 Days Earlier Than Last Year

Seoul issued its first heatwave advisory of the year on June 18th, marking an earlier start to the hot season compared to previous years. The advisory was enacted at 2 p.m. and affects the southeastern and southwestern districts of the capital, along with several municipalities in Gyeonggi Province and Incheon.

The affected areas in Seoul include Songpa, Gangnam, Seocho, and Gangdong districts in the southeast, and Gangseo, Gwanak, Yangcheon, Guro, Dongjak, Yeongdeungpo, and Geumcheon districts in the southwest. In Gyeonggi Province, cities like Pocheon, Goyang, Namyangju, Osan, Anseong, and Gwangju are under the advisory. Incheon's Ganghwa County is also included.

This early onset of heatwave conditions is notable, arriving 12 days sooner than last year's first advisory, which was issued on June 30th. Some areas in Gyeonggi Province and Gyeongbuk Province, as well as Daegu, were already under heatwave advisories earlier in the day. The Korea Meteorological Administration has been using a perceived temperature system since May 2023, which factors in humidity alongside actual temperature to determine advisories when the perceived temperature is expected to exceed 33 degrees Celsius for two consecutive days.