South Korea Faces Record Heat as Global Weather Extremes Rise
WHO:
The Guardian - Ju Dong-yeol, a 27-year-old office worker, expressed the need to stay indoors due to the heat.
Al Jazeera - The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) reported the temperature records.
WHAT:
The Guardian - An emergency alert is issued when areas forecast to hit perceived temperatures of 38C or an actual temperature of 39C for the day.
Al Jazeera - The average annual number of heatwave days has more than doubled to 19 in the past five years, compared to an average of eight days in the 1970s.
Al Jazeera - A tropical night occurs when overnight temperatures do not fall below 25C (77F).
The Guardian - South Korea recorded its highest temperature of 42.5C (108.5F) in Yangsan, the highest since records began in 1904.
Al Jazeera - The temperature in Yangsan exceeded 40C (104F) for the fifth consecutive day.
The Guardian - More than 20 localities were under emergency heatwave alerts, a new warning category introduced this year.
Al Jazeera - The average annual number of heatwave days in South Korea has more than doubled to 19 in the past five years.
The Guardian - A professional baseball game in Changwon was canceled due to a temperature of 39.5C.
WHERE:
Al Jazeera - In Japan, severe heat persisted across eastern and western regions, prompting heatstroke alerts for 30 of the country’s 47 prefectures.
Al Jazeera - In North Africa, extreme heat and powerful winds are driving major wildfires in Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco.
The Guardian - The city of Yangsan, South Korea, recorded the highest temperature.
Al Jazeera - Other cities like Daegu and Busan also experienced high temperatures.
WHEN:
The Guardian - The record temperature was reported on a Sunday afternoon.
Al Jazeera - The temperature in Yangsan was recorded at 1:26pm local time (04:26 GMT).
WHY:
Al Jazeera - Scientists say climate change driven by human activity is making heatwaves and other extreme weather events more frequent, longer-lasting, and more intense.
The Guardian - Scientists warn that extreme weather events, including heatwaves, are becoming more frequent and intense due to human-induced climate change.
Al Jazeera - The return of El Niño is contributing to extreme weather conditions globally.
HOW:
The Guardian - The KMA issued a heat warning advising people to stop all outdoor activities and move to cool places.
Al Jazeera - The KMA defines a heatwave day as one with a maximum temperature of at least 33C (91.4F).
(UPDATED August 3, 2026 09:02 UTC)
An emergency alert has been issued in Japan as severe heat continues to affect both eastern and western regions, with heatstroke warnings now in place for 30 of the country's 47 prefectures. Meanwhile, North Africa is grappling with extreme heat and strong winds that are fueling major wildfires in Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco. Scientists attribute the increasing frequency, intensity, and duration of heatwaves to climate change driven by human activity, with the average annual number of heatwave days more than doubling in the past five years.
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(UPDATED August 3, 2026 05:39 UTC)
In a record-breaking event, South Korea has reported its highest temperature ever at 42.5 degrees Celsius, or 108.5 degrees Fahrenheit, in Yangsan, marking the hottest day since records began in 1904. The Korea Meteorological Administration has issued emergency heatwave alerts for more than 20 localities, as temperatures have soared above 40 degrees Celsius for five consecutive days, prompting the cancellation of a professional baseball game in Changwon due to a temperature of 39.5 degrees Celsius. Scientists attribute this extreme weather to human-induced climate change and the return of El Niño, with the average annual number of heatwave days in South Korea more than doubling to 19 over the past five years.