Seoul on track to set record for most consecutive 'tropical nights' as heat wave continues
Published: 16 Aug. 2024, 14:38
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- LIM JEONG-WON
- lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr
![People watch the water fountain from Banpo Bridge as tropical nights continued on Thursday. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/08/16/849ae055-5006-4639-9e38-7bea16e80da9.jpg)
People watch the water fountain from Banpo Bridge as tropical nights continued on Thursday. [YONHAP]
Seoul experienced its 26th tropical night Thursday over the Liberation Day holiday and was on track Friday to set a record for the longest stretch of tropical nights in 118 years.
According to the Korea Meteorological Agency (KMA) on Friday, Seoul's temperature has not dropped below 26.8 degrees Celsius (80.2 Fahrenheit) since 6:01 p.m. on Thursday, meeting the conditions for a tropical night. Tropical nights are declared when the temperature stays above 25 degrees from 6:01 p.m. to 9 a.m. the following day.
Seoul has experienced 26 consecutive tropical nights since July 21. This is the longest stretch of tropical nights since the previous record set in 2018, which was considered to have had the worst heat wave of the 21st century.
Modern meteorological observations in Seoul began in 1907.
In 2018, tropical nights in Seoul continued from July 21 to Aug. 15, just like this year.
However, in 2018, the streak of tropical nights ended around Liberation Day on Aug. 15, but this year, they've continued past the holiday.
Seoul is forecasted to reach lows of 27 degrees this coming weekend, 26 degrees between Aug. 19 to 21, and 25 degrees from Aug. 22 to 26.
Tropical nights also continued for the 22nd consecutive day in Busan. With this, Busan set a record for the most extended period of tropical nights in 121 years since modern weather observations began in the city in 1904.
Incheon also experienced a tropical night over Thursday, increasing the number of consecutive tropical nights to 24. Jeju had 32 consecutive tropical nights with Thursday’s continuation.
Daytime temperatures will soar on Friday, too.
Daytime temperatures will reach 30 to 35 degrees, and the perceived temperature is expected to climb to around 35 degrees in most areas.
There will be occasional showers in the coastal areas of Gangwon and Gyeongsang through the afternoon and in the metropolitan area and Chungcheong regions from the afternoon to the early hours of Saturday, but this is not expected to cool temperatures.
In Jeju, 20 to 60 millimeters of rain or up to 80 millimeters is expected through Saturday due to the influence of a low-pressure trough.
Weather conditions with tropical nights during the evening and passing showers during the day are expected to continue for about 10 more days.
BY LIM JEONG-WON [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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