A woman wearing a parasol is surprised to see a person with an air conditioner attached to their body in the heat. DALL·E 3｜Graphic by Kim Inwook

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The heat these days is so intense that it makes you want to carry an air conditioner with you, as sweat pours down constantly. However, a shocking forecast has emerged, saying that the real heat has not even begun yet.

This summer is expected to break the records of the extreme heatwaves experienced in 1994 and 2018.

Kim Baekmin, a professor in the Department of Environmental Atmospheric Science at Pukyong National University, said on SBS Radio's "Kim Taehyun's Political Show" on the 29th, "If we look at the records, the hottest years ever observed were 1994 and 2018." He added, "This year has not yet broken those records, but since it's still July, it's concerning that even more severe heat is yet to come."

He continued, "In Anseong, Gyeonggi Province, daytime temperatures exceeded 40 degrees Celsius. In 2018, Hongcheon in Gangwon Province recorded about 41 degrees. If this trend continues, that record could be broken again in August this year. In addition, new highest temperature records for July are being set in various regions across the country."

Professor Kim especially predicted that this summer could surpass all previous heatwave records. He said, "August is still ahead of us," and added, "After a brief lull, I expect the real heat to begin in earnest from August."

On the 29th, with the hottest days continuing day after day just one day before Jungbok, a maintenance worker at Gwanghwamun Square in Jongno-gu, Seoul, is watering the lawn. Photo by Jo Yongjun

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Regarding the recent heat, Professor Kim said, "The most important cause is climate change." He explained, "Climate change is not just warming the planet as a whole, but is creating various patterns. Among these, the key patterns are the North Pacific High and the Tibetan High. When these high-pressure systems cover Korea, sunlight continues to heat the ground, making it extremely hot."

He added, "Experts believe that climate change is creating conditions for the North Pacific High and the Tibetan High to appear over the Korean Peninsula more frequently. This is not a temporary phenomenon, but something that is likely to continue in the future."

In reality, as these two high-pressure systems cover the Korean Peninsula, the sweltering weather continues. The Tibetan High is positioned in the upper atmosphere, while the North Pacific High is in the mid- and lower layers, causing heatwaves and tropical nights to blanket the entire country regardless of region. In addition, as the southeastern wind crosses over the mountains, the 'foehn effect' is raising temperatures, making the western side of the Baekdudaegan mountain range hotter than the east.

While new 'highest temperature' records are being set daily in various regions, the number of heat-related illnesses reported each day has more than doubled compared to the same period last year.

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The problem is that there is no end in sight for this heatwave. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration's mid-term forecast (August 1-7), daytime highs in most regions are expected to reach 33 to 35 degrees Celsius.

An official from the Korea Meteorological Administration said, "We can forecast daily temperatures up to ten days ahead, and it will continue to be above 33 degrees during that period. Since the hottest month, August, has not even started, it is difficult to say when the heat will end." The official added, "With the North Pacific High covering Korea and hot air continuously flowing in from the southeast, the heat is expected to persist."

Professor Kim also commented on the so-called "Cheoseo magic"?the belief that the heat subsides and cool autumn weather begins after Cheoseo, one of the 24 solar terms?saying, "Unless a typhoon comes and cools things down, it's unlikely to happen this year."

It's ironic that we have to hope for a 'typhoon' to escape the heat. What preparations have you made to get through this summer?