A thermal imaging camera captures the Seoul city center in vivid red on Aug. 19, as seen from Namsan Mountain during a heat wave with daytime highs reaching 35 degrees Celsius in the Seoul area. In the thermal image, cooler temperatures are displayed in blue, while hotter areas are shown in red.
SEOUL, Aug. 19 (Korea Bizwire) –As the country braces for an intensifying heat wave, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) issued a statement Monday indicating that relief is not on the horizon, even with the approach of Typhoon Jongdari.
Currently positioned approximately 360 kilometers southwest of Japan’s Okinawa, Typhoon Jongdari is charting a path northward, toward the western edge of the Korean Peninsula. By the time it nears the waters off Seosan on Wednesday, the storm is anticipated to weaken into a low-pressure system, according to the KMA.
In contrast to previous typhoons that have typically brought cooler conditions in their wake, Jongdari is expected to exacerbate the heat wave, further intensifying or extending the oppressive temperatures that have already set records across the nation.
The agency highlighted that tropical nights—defined by overnight temperatures remaining above 25 degrees Celsius—have reached unprecedented levels, with Seoul and Busan recording 29 and 25 consecutive nights, respectively. Jeju Island is enduring its third-longest streak, with 35 tropical nights.
amid a heat wave, a bee sips water from a tap at a park in Suwon, Gyeonggi-do.
As the heat persists, daily high temperatures are expected to range between 31 and 36 degrees Celsius on Monday, with apparent temperatures climbing to around 35 degrees in many regions.
The KMA noted that while some areas may experience showers totaling between 5 and 40 millimeters, these will likely only increase humidity, exacerbating the sweltering conditions.
Starting Tuesday, sporadic rain is forecast to develop across the southern regions and the mountainous areas of Gangwon Province in the morning, spreading to the central regions by the afternoon. Jeju Island, along with the southeastern cities of Busan and Ulsan, could receive between 30 and 80 millimeters of rain through Wednesday.
Meanwhile, South Jeolla Province, North Gyeongsang Province, and the easternmost islets of Dokdo can expect 20 to 60 millimeters.
The greater Seoul area, Gangwon Province, and the five border islands in the West Sea are projected to receive 10 to 40 millimeters of rain between Tuesday and Wednesday, with Chungcheong Province anticipating 10 to 50 millimeters. The rain is expected to persist through Thursday.
Despite these incoming showers, the KMA warns that temperatures are likely to remain above average until at least August 29, offering little respite from the relentless heat.
Image credit: Yonhap / photonews@koreabizwire.com
