Key facts
- Temperatures exceeded 40 C in Seoul, Hanam, and Gwangyang.
- Seoul's temperature reached 40.2 C, the highest since August 1, 2018.
- The country has experienced an above-average number of heat wave and tropical nights this summer.
- The extreme heat wave is forecast to slightly ease over the weekend.
Temperatures soared above 40 degrees Celsius in Seoul and other parts of South Korea on Friday, underscoring the severity of an ongoing extreme heat wave. The mercury hit 40.2 C in Seoul's Nowon district at 3:28 p.m., marking the first time the capital has exceeded this threshold since August 1, 2018, when it recorded 41.8 C.
Other areas also experienced extreme heat, with Hanam's Deokpung district reaching 40.7 C and Gwangyang recording 40.2 C. Yeongweol and Yeoju saw temperatures climb to 39.8 C.
This summer has seen a significant number of heat wave days, defined as days with daytime highs of 33 C or higher, averaging 14.8 days nationwide from June 1 to Thursday. The country also recorded a record 13 tropical nights, characterized by minimum temperatures of 25 C or higher.
The Korea Meteorological Administration forecasts a slight easing of the extreme heat over the weekend, with Saturday's morning lows expected between 21 C and 26 C, and daytime highs ranging from 26 C to 35 C.