Typhoon Brings Another Heat Wave

This year's fourth typhoon Aere is heading north from Jeju Island, pushing up hot air across Korea. The daytime high in downtown Seoul on Sunday soared to a record 37.6 degrees Celsius, while Incheon saw 31.3 degrees.

A heat wave warning was issued throughout the country as the Korea Meteorological Administration warned temperatures will reach 35 degrees in Seoul and 34 degrees in Daegu, Daejeon and Suwon on Monday.

The heat wave is expected to continue for another 10 days.

Heat-related illnesses are on the rise. According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, around 130 heatstroke cases were reported over the weekend. The first fatality this year was also reported when a 45-year-old man who was unloading produce at a market in South Gyeongsang Province was fainted at 7:20 p.m. last Friday and pronounced dead on arrival in hospital, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety said.

The typhoon, which is heading northeast from Jeju Island carrying maximum winds of 68 km/h with a central pressure of 994 hPa, is expected to veer toward Japan on Wednesday. But it is sending a large amount of water vapor into the Korean Peninsula while a North Pacific high-pressure front hovers above the peninsula, causing temperatures to soar.

Temperature fluctuations in the atmosphere are triggering sporadic rain showers, with 5 to 40 mm of downpours expected on Monday and Tuesday.

Scorching temperatures will cool slightly when crisp dry winds descend from the north on Thursday, but daytime highs will remain between 34 to 35 degrees until next Wednesday while nighttime temperatures rarely fall below 25 degrees.