Seoul sets record 23 tropical nights for July

People try to cool off at Cheonggye Stream in central Seoul, Thursday, amid a tropical night. Yonhap

The number of tropical nights in Seoul in July was tallied at a record high of 23, the state weather service said Friday, forecasting the daytime high will surge to 37 degrees Celsius the capital.

Seoul and many other cities nationwide, including Incheon, Cheongju of North Chungcheong Province, Gangneung of Gangwon Province and Seogwipo of the southern Jeju Island, experienced the tropical nights between Thursday and Friday, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). A tropical night refers to a phenomenon when nighttime temperatures stay above 25 degrees Celsius from 6:01 p.m. to 9 a.m. the following day.

Seoul's 23 tropical nights were the most for any July since modern weather observations began 117 years ago.

Including the tropical nights that occurred in June, the number of tropical nights in Seoul this year is already 25, the fifth most on record, the KMA said, forecasting the ranking is expected to rise as heat waves are likely to continue through August.