Official station logs highest August temperature on record
Baseball game at Sajik delayed 30 minutes due to extreme heat
Busan's official daytime high soared to 38 degrees Celsius on Sunday, setting a new August record. Some districts, including Buk-gu, Gangseo-gu and Geumjeong-gu, surpassed 40 degrees, while tropical nights — when temperatures stay above 25 degrees overnight — continued for a 14th consecutive night.
The Busan Meteorological Administration said the official reading at the Daecheong-dong station in Jung-gu, the city's designated observation point, reached 38.0 degrees — the highest ever recorded in Busan during August.
By district, Buk-gu logged 40.6 degrees, Gangseo-gu 40.2 degrees and Geumjeong-gu 40.0 degrees. The inland districts of Buk-gu and Geumjeong-gu had also approached 40.5 degrees on Saturday. Tropical nights have now persisted for 14 consecutive days.
Because of the record heat, a game between the Samsung Lions and the Lotte Giants scheduled for 6 p.m. Sunday at Sajik Baseball Stadium in Dongnae-gu will start 30 minutes late. Saturday's game was canceled.
The extreme heat has gripped Busan for days. On Wednesday, the daytime high reached 38.8 degrees — the highest in the city in 122 years since modern meteorological observations began.
Meteorologists attribute the record heat to a dual high-pressure system formed by the overlapping North Pacific and Tibetan high-pressure systems. Westerly and northwesterly winds have further intensified the perceived heat.
"In some areas, the apparent temperature is expected to rise above 38 degrees, reaching levels that pose a life-threatening risk — people should take extra precautions," a Korea Meteorological Administration official said.
woo@heraldcorp.com
