Temperatures soar to 40 C in greater Seoul area

SEOUL, July 27 (Yonhap) -- A heat wave continued to grip South Korea on Sunday, with daytime highs in Seoul reaching 38 C and parts of Gyeonggi Province exceeding 40 C, the state weather agency said.

The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said the temperature for Seoul hit 38 C at around 3:35 p.m., marking one of the hottest days ever recorded in the capital region.

It was only the ninth time since modern meteorological observations began in the city in October 1907 that the temperature has reached or surpassed 38 C.

Anseong in Gyeonggi Province also saw the temperature hit 40.6 C at 4:46 p.m. based on data from the KMA's automated weather stations. It was the first time temperatures topped 40 C since July 8, when those in the western cities of Gwangmyeong and Paju soared above 40 C.

The sweltering weather is forecast to continue across most parts of South Korea on Monday.

In Seoul, daytime highs are expected to reach 37 C, while other major cities, such as Suwon, Daejeon and Cheongju, are forecast to see highs of 36 C.

julesyi@yna.co.kr
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