South Korea braces for record heat and intense rainfall amid worsening climate trends

The Korea Meteorological Administration’s high‑resolution climate scenario shows that if South Korea follows a high‑emission pathway, its daily maximum temperature could rise by as much as 6.2 °C by the end of the century, while a low‑carbon path limits the increase to about 2.3 °C. The agency also warns that extreme weather indices – such as the number of very hot days and extreme one‑day rainfall – would grow faster than average climate changes.

In the short term, the weather service forecasts a series of heavy rain events across the peninsula from July 7 to July 9. The nation can expect up to 200 mm of rain in some central and southern regions, with hourly rates reaching 80 mm in parts of Sejong, where 81 mm fell in a single hour. Temperatures are projected between 27 °C and 34 °C, with perceived temperatures around 31 °C, and a heat‑wave warning already in effect for parts of the south. Officials have issued flood, landslide and infrastructure safety alerts as the rapid rain could cause rapid river rises, flash floods and slope failures.