KIOST study: Distant typhoons triggered South Korean heatwaves

A study by the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST) has revealed that typhoons passing far from the Korean Peninsula can trigger significant heatwaves through remote atmospheric effects.

Researchers analyzed Typhoons Mekkhala and Higos, which passed near Japan in late June without making landfall in Korea. While these typhoons initially pushed the North Pacific High eastward—temporarily lowering temperatures in early July—they subsequently triggered a ‘precipitation heating effect.’ As the moisture brought by the typhoons condensed into rain, it released massive amounts of latent heat into the atmosphere.

This heat strengthened the North Pacific High at an altitude of approximately 5.5 km, causing it to expand back toward the Korean Peninsula. Consequently, the national average temperature in South Korea rose by 4.1°C in just six days, jumping from 1.3°C below the seasonal average on July 1 to 2.8°C above the average by July 7.