South Korea Records 42.5C, Marking Hottest Temperature in Over a Century

South Korea’s meteorological agency recorded 42.5°C in Yangsan at 1:26 p.m. local time on Sunday (7:26 a.m. Latvian time). This is the hottest reading since temperature data collection started more than 100 years ago.

Yangsan is at the centre of the current heat wave, where the temperature has exceeded 40°C for a fifth consecutive day.

On Sunday, more than 20 populated areas were placed under an emergency heat-wave warning, a new alert category introduced this year to better respond to rising temperatures. The warning is issued when the perceived temperature is forecast to reach 38°C, or the actual temperature 39°C.

The weather agency urged people to “immediately stop all outdoor activities” and noted that “rooms without air conditioning are dangerous.”

Meteorological data show that the average number of heat-wave days in the country has more than doubled over the past five years, to 19 days annually, compared with eight days in the 1970s. A heat-wave day is defined as a day with a maximum temperature of at least 33°C.

Scientists warn that extreme weather events such as heat waves are becoming more frequent and intense as a result of human-caused climate change. This year’s extreme conditions are further aggravated by the return of El Niño, a natural climate phenomenon that warms Pacific surface waters and typically occurs every two to seven years.

Europe is also experiencing a sweltering summer this year, with prolonged heat waves in the south, where temperatures have been above 40°C. Health warnings have been issued, wildfires are widespread, and people are advised to avoid outdoor activities in the afternoon.

After the latest heat wave swept through Western Europe early last week, it moved into Central Europe and reached Italy over the weekend. Italian authorities said almost all major cities would be under the highest-level heat warning starting Monday.