(2nd LD) Temperatures above 40 C recorded in Seoul, 2 other cities

Seoul and several other cities in South Korea recorded temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius on Friday, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). The highest temperature reached 40.7 degrees Celsius in the Hanam district, just southeast of Seoul. This marks the first time Seoul has experienced a temperature above 40 degrees Celsius since August 2018, when it hit 41.8 degrees Celsius.

The intense heat wave has also pushed temperatures to above or near 40 degrees Celsius in Hanam, Gwangyang, Yeongweol, and Yeoju. The country has seen an average of 14.8 heat wave days per year from June 1 to Thursday, the fourth highest number since 1973. The number of tropical nights, defined as nights with minimum temperatures of 25 degrees Celsius or higher, also reached a record 13 days.

The extreme heat wave is expected to subside slightly over the weekend, with morning lows ranging from 21 to 26 degrees Celsius and daytime highs from 26 to 35 degrees Celsius nationwide on Saturday. The KMA will lower the heat warning level for Seoul and eastern and southwestern parts of the country to an ordinary warning at 6 p.m. Friday.