South Korea hit by longest, most severe heat wave in 2018

All News 17:21 August 17, 2018

SEOUL, Aug. 17 (Yonhap) -- South Korea was gripped by the longest, most severe heat wave in its recorded history this year, breaking the record set in 1994, the state weather agency said Friday.

Between June 1 and Aug. 16, the nationwide average temperature was 25.5 C, with a mean daily high of 30.7 C, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration, both of which were the highest since 1973, when the agency began to compile relevant data.

The unusually long heat wave was caused by high atmospheric pressure from Tibet and a North Pacific anticyclone.

This year, the impact of the two anticyclones was stronger and more extensive than in 1994, the agency said.

In 1994 the sweltering weather temporarily eased due to heavy rains driven by typhoons. But this year, dry winds blowing down from the eastern Taebaek Mountain Range pushed up temperatures on the west side.

Cities across the country had an average of 29.2 days where the daily high exceeded 33 C this year, up from 27.5 days in 1994, the agency said.

Tropical nights, when the temperature does not fall below 25 C between 6:01 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. of the next day, occurred on an average of 15.7 days, slightly below 16.6 days recorded for 1994.

Seoul's temperature hit a high of 39.6 C on Aug. 1, the highest in 111 years, it said. In 1994, the capital's daily high reached 38.4 C.