Is the Era of "40 Degrees in Seoul" Imminent?...39 Degrees Forecast Tomorrow, Could It Break the All-Time High? [Tomorrow’s Weather]

Seoul Forecast to Hit 39 Degrees Celsius on the 6th
Typhoon Dolphin Unlikely to Bring Relief from Korea’s Heatwave

The entire country will remain extremely hot on the 6th, just one day before the start of autumn according to the lunar calendar.

On the 6th, morning lows are expected to range from 21 to 27 degrees Celsius, and daytime highs are forecast to reach between 30 and 39 degrees Celsius.

The morning low in Seoul is predicted to be 27 degrees Celsius, with an afternoon high of 39 degrees Celsius.

Due to the nationwide heatwave, all professional baseball games for both the first and second leagues scheduled for today and tomorrow have been canceled. On the 5th, a thermometer placed on the field at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Songpa-gu, Seoul, indicates 50 degrees Celsius. Photo by Yonhap News

Based on records from the Seoul Meteorological Observatory, which began modern weather observations in October 1907, Seoul has surpassed 39 degrees only once in the past 120 years—on August 1, 2018. The highest temperature recorded at that time was 39.6 degrees Celsius, with the second highest being 38.4 degrees on July 24, 1994.

Since the Korea Meteorological Administration’s average absolute error for maximum temperature forecasts is about 1 degree, Seoul could see a record-breaking 40 degrees Celsius on the 6th.

Expected minimum and maximum temperatures for other major cities are as follows: Incheon 26 and 38 degrees, Daejeon and Gwangju 26 and 37 degrees, Daegu 26 and 36 degrees, and Ulsan and Busan 26 and 33 degrees.

Currently, an extreme heatwave alert—the highest heat warning—has been issued for 30 areas in the Seoul metropolitan region and a total of 31 inland regions, including Gwangyang in Gwangju, Jeollanam-do.

A heatwave advisory has also been reissued for most parts of Yeongdong, Gangwon Province.

With easterly winds blowing close to the surface, the western side of the Taebaek Mountains has experienced intense heat due to the foehn phenomenon, while the eastern regions have seen relatively lower temperatures; however, as the easterly winds subsided and skies cleared, strong sunlight led to soaring temperatures.

On Friday the 7th, morning lows will range from 22 to 27 degrees, and daytime highs from 31 to 39 degrees Celsius, similar to the 6th.

Over the weekend, some areas will experience cloudy weather and rain. On Saturday the 8th, morning temperatures will be between 22 and 27 degrees, with highs of 27 to 36 degrees. On Sunday the 9th, the lows will be 21 to 26 degrees and highs 26 to 34 degrees. While temperatures will drop slightly compared to earlier in the week, they will remain well above the seasonal averages.

The severe heat is expected to continue until at least Liberation Day, with “feels-like” temperatures reaching above 35 degrees Celsius in inland areas and over 33 degrees in most other regions.

As Typhoon Dolphin, the 13th typhoon of the season, is increasingly likely to make landfall south of Shanghai, China, after passing by Okinawa, Japan, hopes for an end to the heatwave have diminished.

Although the typhoon’s passage may lead to a reorganization of the atmospheric pressure patterns around Korea, it is widely believed that this will not bring the heat to an end.

This is because it is still early August when the North Pacific high-pressure system is at its strongest, so Korea is likely to remain under its influence even if the pressure patterns shift.

On the 6th, ozone concentrations in the Seoul metropolitan area, Chungnam, Jeonbuk, and Jeonnam will likely reach ‘unhealthy’ levels in the afternoon.

From the night of the 6th, swells will begin reaching the shore on the coasts of Jeju, producing high waves that may crash over rocks or breakwaters, so caution is advised.

On the 5th, when an extreme heatwave alert approaching 40 degrees was issued across Seoul and the western regions including Gyeonggi and Honam, residents living in the shantytown near Seoul Station were cooling off under cooling fog. 2026.08.05 Photo by Dongju Yoon

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.