Seoul's latest tropical night shatters 89-year record as heat wave persists

Seoul experienced another tropical night, breaking an 89-year record, as temperatures remained above 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit) from Monday night into Tuesday morning amid a continuing heat wave.

People watch the water fountains from Banpo Bridge on Aug. 15. [YONHAP]

Seoul experienced another tropical night, breaking an 89-year record, as temperatures remained above 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit) from Monday night into Tuesday morning amid a continuing heat wave.

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, the lowest temperature in Seoul between Monday at 6:01 p.m. and Tuesday at 7 a.m. was 25.6 degrees, recorded at 6 a.m. on Tuesday.

This is the latest in the year that a tropical night has occurred in Seoul. The previous record, since observations began in 1908, was on Sept. 8, 1935, but last night's tropical night broke that 89-year-old record.

A tropical night is defined as a nighttime low of 25 degrees or above, while a heat wave is defined as a daytime high of 33 degrees or above. Nighttime is considered as being between 6:01 p.m. and 9 a.m.

Monday night was recorded as a tropical night, with the temperature not dropping below 25 degrees until 9 a.m. on Tuesday.

Jeju Island experienced further tropical nights from Monday night into Tuesday morning. Jeju City retained the top spot on the all-time list with 64 tropical nights this year, while Seogwipo tied the previous record of 57 tropical nights set in 2013.

A LED screen displays the temperature of an apartment complex in Seoul on Aug. 16. [YONHAP}

Daejeon, Busan, Cheongju, North Chungcheong and Yeosu, South Jeolla, also experienced tropical nights last night.

The autumn heat wave continued on Tuesday, with daytime temperatures reaching 31 to 35 degrees. Most areas, including the Seoul metropolitan area, parts of Gangwon, Chungcheong and southern regions experienced temperatures above 33 degrees.

The heat is expected to peak on Wednesday and then cool slightly on Thursday as rain arrives across the country. However, it will not completely dissipate, with highs in most areas remaining in the 30s through to the end of the Chuseok holiday.

It is expected to rain in Jeju from Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday night and in central and northern Gangwon from Wednesday afternoon through the evening. Rain will be on and off in most areas on Thursday. In areas where it does not rain heavily on Wednesday, there may still be showers.

Precipitation amounts will range from 20 to 60 millimeters (0.78 to 2.36 inches) by region. Rainfall rates are expected to be around 30 millimeters per hour between Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday over Jeju, the southern regions and Chungcheong, and around 20 millimeters per hour on the central west coast on Thursday.

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [kim.minyoung5@joongang.co.kr]