Korea issues top-tier heat warning for first time as temperatures stay above 36 degrees Celsius
The weather agency introduced the new highest tier in its heat wave warning system to better alert the public about exceptionally dangerous temperatures that the previous system could not adequately convey.
Heat waves rise above a road in western Seoul on July 12. The city's daily high temperature reached 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) that day.YONHAP
Korea issued the highest heat warning for the first time in history on Sunday as two high-pressure systems blanketing the country drove temperatures as high as 36 degrees Celsius (96.8 degrees Fahrenheit) in parts of the country.
The “heat waveemergency warning” — the highest of a three-tiered system — was triggered in the cities of Gyeongsan and Pohang in North Gyeongsang at 10 a.m., according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA).
The heat wave emergency warning is issued when two conditions are met. First, an apparent temperature of 35 degrees Celsius or higher must be sustained for at least two consecutive days. Second, forecasts must indicate that the apparent temperature will reach at least 38 degrees Celsius, or that the daytime high will climb to 39 degrees Celsius or higher for at least one more day.
On June 1, the weather agency introduced the new highest tier in its heat wave warning system — the first addition in 18 years — to better alert the public about exceptionally dangerous temperatures that the previous system could not adequately convey.
The lower tiers are “heat wave advisory” and “heat wave warning.” The former becomes effective when the apparent temperature is expected to stay at 33 degrees Celsius for at least two consecutive days, and the latter when the apparent temperature is projected to remain at 35 degrees Celsius for two days or longer.
Temperatures in Pohang and Gyeongsan, where the heat wave emergency warning was issued, reached 36.3 and 35.9 degrees Celsius, respectively, on Sunday, according to the KMA.
A person uses an umbrella to protect themselves from heat in downtown Seoul on July 12.NEWS1
On Saturday, Hayang-eup in Gyeongsan recorded a daily high of 39.9 degrees Celsius, and Gigye-myeon in Pohang reached 37.2 degrees Celsius.
The sudden intensifying heat is being driven by a "double high-pressure system." After the seasonal rain front moved north, the North Pacific High settled over the Korean Peninsula at an altitude of about 5 kilometers (16,404 feet). Above it, at roughly 10 to 12 kilometers, the Tibetan High also expanded over the region and reinforced the heat.
“The air has already been heated by hot, humid southerly winds and intense sunlight,” Gong Sang-min, a KMA forecast analyst, said. “Descending air within the overlapping high-pressure systems is compressing and heating the air even further.”
The second-level heat wave warnings were issued for most of the country — including parts of the greater Seoul area; the Chungcheong region and southern Sejong; South and North Jeolla; and North and South Gyeongsang, including western Busan and Daegu — on Sunday.
Southern parts of North Gyeongsang are experiencing even more intense heat because southwesterly winds crossing 1,200-meter-tall (3,937-foot-tall) mountain ranges in the region warm further as they descend — a phenomenon known as the foehn effect.
Tropical night advisories were also issued across much of the country as overnight temperatures stayed unusually high, with thresholds ranging from 25 to 27 degrees Celsius, depending on the region.
Layered high pressure systems over KoreaKOREA METEOROLOGICAL ADMINISTRATION
The advisories covered areas including Guri and Osan in Gyeonggi; Yeongwol and Hoengseong in Gangwon; Seosan and Boryeong in South Chungcheong, excluding their islands; Heuksan Island and Hong Island in South Jeolla; Sunchang and Iksan in North Jeolla; Chilgok and Pohang in North Gyeongsang; the western, northern and eastern parts of Jeju City; Gimhae and Changnyeong in South Gyeongsang; central Daegu and southern Dalseong County; and most of Busan except its eastern districts.
Several areas also recorded their hottest July overnight temperatures on record.
Gochang in North Jeolla posted a daily low of 27.9 degrees Celsius, and Gangjin and Jangheung in South Jeolla recorded 27.3 degrees Celsius and 27.5 degrees Celsius, respectively.
“A heat wave emergency warning means that the risk of serious harm, including heat-related illness and even death, is significantly elevated even for healthy people,” Lee Mi-Seon, the chief of the KMA, said.
“Stop all outdoor activities, including work and exercise. Move to the coolest place possible, stay hydrated and check on older family members and neighbors to make sure that they are safe.”
BY HEO JEONG-WON [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]
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.
