Seoul on verge of historic 40 C as heat wave tightens grip

"It's been so hot that I've eaten at the office cafeteria every single day this week."

With the traditional start of autumn just one day away, temperatures in central Seoul climbed close to 40 degrees Celsius on Thursday morning, keeping the city in a suffocating grip. As the heat wave and tropical nights dragged on, commuters heading to work could barely hide their exhaustion.

The Korea Meteorological Administration said heat wave advisories are in effect across most of the country Thursday. Morning lows are forecast at 21–27 C, with afternoon highs ranging from 30 to 39 C.

Extreme heat is expected particularly in the Greater Seoul area and parts of South Jeolla Province, where extreme heat alerts have been issued. Afternoon highs could reach around 39 C, with the heat index topping 38 C — and when the agency's average margin of error of 1 degree is factored in, a reading of 40 C cannot be ruled out.

Tropical nights, when temperatures stay at or above 25 C, are forecast for many areas. The relentless heat around the clock is taking a growing toll on residents.

Oh Su-young, 28, an office worker, said the heat hits the moment she steps outside after work. "The second you walk out of the building, you can't breathe and it's hard to take even a single step," she said. "A parasol has become a necessity now. I used to think only older people carried them, but these days it's hard to get through the day without one."

Kim Tae-hwa, 31, another office worker, said his T-shirt is soaked through with sweat by the time he reaches the subway station. "I carry a portable fan, a handkerchief and cooling wipes, but it's so hot that none of it really helps," he said.

Morning lows by city: Seoul 27 C, Incheon 26 C, Suwon 26 C, Chuncheon 24 C, Gangneung 23 C, Cheongju 26 C, Daejeon 25 C, Jeonju 26 C, Gwangju 26 C, Daegu 26 C, Busan 26 C, Jeju 27 C.

Afternoon highs: Seoul 39 C, Incheon 39 C, Suwon 38 C, Chuncheon 37 C, Gangneung 31 C, Cheongju 36 C, Daejeon 37 C, Jeonju 38 C, Gwangju 37 C, Daegu 36 C, Busan 33 C, Jeju 33 C.

There is growing talk that Seoul could record 40 C for the first time in nearly 120 years of meteorological observation.

Since modern weather monitoring began at the Seoul Meteorological Observatory in October 1907, the city's all-time high stands at 39.6 C, set on Aug. 1, 2018. The second-highest reading on record was 38.4 C, reached on July 24, 1994.