Severe Heat Warnings Issued for Gyeongju and Pohang... Heatwave Days More Than Doubled

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Yesterday (July 24), Gyeongju and Pohang in Gyeongsangbuk-do experienced extreme heat of around 39 degrees Celsius, prompting the issuance of a "Severe Heatwave Warning" for the first time in history. Over the past decade, the number of heatwave days in South Korea has more than doubled compared to the past, and the duration of the sweltering weather has also lengthened.

Reporter Seo Donggyun has the details.

[Reporter]

The mercury in Seoul reached 32.1 degrees Celsius.

[Lee So-yul / Yangcheon-gu, Seoul: It's gradually getting hotter and the heat feels more intense. Combined with the monsoon season, the extreme humidity makes it much harder to bear.]

Temperatures soared to 39.2 degrees Celsius in Hoengseong-dong, Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, and 38.7 degrees Celsius in Gigye-myeon, Buk-gu, Pohang, leading to the issuance of severe heatwave warnings for both cities.

The severe heatwave warning is the highest level of heat warning newly established this year. It is issued when the highest perceived temperature is expected to reach 38 degrees Celsius or higher, or the maximum temperature is expected to reach 39 degrees Celsius or higher in areas already under a heatwave warning.

This marks the second time for Pohang, following July 12, and the first time ever for Gyeongju.

Comparing the first decade after the Korea Meteorological Administration's weather observation network was expanded nationwide in 1973 with the most recent decade, data shows that heatwave days have more than doubled and tropical night days have increased threefold.

The onset of heatwaves has advanced nationwide by anywhere from 10 to as many as 30 days, while tropical nights were found to end 10 to 20 days later than in the past.

Phrases like "June heatwaves" and "September tropical nights" are increasingly becoming commonplace.

Among the top five years with the most heatwaves and tropical nights, four of the heatwave years and three of the tropical night years were concentrated within the past decade.

The Korea Meteorological Administration analyzed that this is because the North Pacific High, a hot and humid air mass in summer, has expanded further toward South Korea compared to the past.

[Lee Kwang-yeon / Forecaster, Korea Meteorological Administration: As this sweltering heat and tropical nights are expected to expand nationwide next week, please take precautions to avoid heat-related damage.]

While monsoon rain is forecast focusing on the greater Seoul area this weekend, it is expected to be insufficient to cool down the scorching heat of around 33 degrees Celsius.

(Video Editing: Kim Byeong-jik, Design: Park Cheon-woong, Choi Jae-young, VJ: Shin So-young)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.