Korea experiences hottest September on record

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An unseasonable heat wave continued over the Chuseok holiday, with temperatures soaring to 37.2 degrees Celsius in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province. Heat warnings were in effect across the country, including Seoul, and tropical nights occurred in many places. Many places broke September's record high temperatures. The unusual late September heat is expected to continue until the 19th.

The Korea Meteorological Administration said on September 18 that the record for the highest temperature in September was broken in various parts of the country, including Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, and Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province.

Suwon's daytime temperature rose to 34 degrees, surpassing the previous record of 33.9 degrees, while Jeonju reached 35.5 degrees and Jeongeup, North Jeolla Province, soared to 36.5 degrees. In addition, new records for September's highest temperature were set in the southern regions, including 35.3 degrees in Yeonggwang, South Jeolla Province, 34.6 degrees in Tongyeong, 36.9 degrees in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province, and 37.2 degrees in Yangsan.

On the 17th, the day of Chuseok, September's record high temperature was also broken in various areas. The major regions and temperatures with new highs on the 17th are 34.8 degrees in Boeun, North Chungcheong Province, 35.6 degrees in Buyeo, South Chungcheong Province, 35.8 degrees in Namwon, North Jeolla Province, 35.7 degrees in Gwangju, 36.2 degrees in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, and 35.8 degrees in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province.

Of these, Gwangju set a new record for the highest temperature in September for three consecutive days from the 13th to 15th. This is the highest record since modern weather observation began in May 1939 in Gwangju.

In addition to Gwangju, new September high temperature records were set in various regions, mainly in the southern part, during the holiday. On the 15th, the highest September temperatures were recorded in Imsil (33.9 degrees), Gochang (36.1 degrees), and Sunchang (36.3 degrees) in North Jeolla Province, and Yeonggwang (34.8 degrees) and Jindo (34.7 degrees) in South Jeolla Province. Mokpo, North Jeolla Province, also recorded a high of 34.3 degrees on the 15th, breaking the record for the highest temperature in September ever set on the 10th.

As temperatures that rose during the day did not drop significantly overnight, tropical nights continued, especially in the western regions, inland Gangwon Province, North Gyeongsang Province, and Jeju Island. Between the night of the 17th and the morning of the 18th, Seoul broke the record for the late tropical night ever, with the lowest temperature recorded at 26.5 degrees. The total number of tropical night days in Jeju increased to 72.

As a result, the national average temperature reached 26.3 degrees until the 17th, the highest since the start of meteorological observation. The average of daily highest temperature also rose to 31.1 degrees, topping the list. This is the first time on record that the average temperature in early to mid-September has been above 30 degrees.

The late heat is due to the high humidity air flowing between the 13th Typhoon Verbinka, which passes through East China Sea, south of Jeju, while Korea is under the influence of high pressure.

The Korea Meteorological Administration expects the heat wave to continue until the 19th. It issued a heat warning in the southeastern, northeastern, and northwest areas of Seoul as of 2 p.m. on the 18th. It was the first time that a heat warning was issued in Seoul in mid-September, which was the 10th.

On the 20th, the heat warning is expected to be gradually eased or canceled as rain falls across the country. The Korea Meteorological Administration forecast that there will be occasional rain on Jeju Island from the morning of the 19th and on the coast of Jeolla Province from the afternoon, while the rain is expected to fall in most parts of the country from the early morning of the 20th.

※This article has undergone review by a professional translator after being translated by an AI translation tool.