South Korea Climate – July 2026 Update
Top 5 Cities: Seoul, Busan, Incheon, Daegu, and Daejeon
Summary
South Korea has logged its hottest May–July stretch in 87 years of records, averaging 22.33°C across the three-month period. An exceptionally warm month averaging 26.58°C (+2.5°C above the baseline) ranked as the 3rd warmest July on record, bringing severe national heat warnings, crop loss, and health emergencies. This sweltering pattern coincides with a moderate El Niño forecast to peak at Very Strong in September to November, with elevated warmth expected to persist over coming months.
This month in numbers
The average temperature for July reached 26.58°C, standing 2.5°C above the 1961–1990 baseline and making it the 3rd warmest July in national records dating back to 1940. This capped an extraordinary three-month run from May through July that averaged 22.33°C (+2.0°C anomaly), officially ranking as the single warmest May–July period on record. Long-term climate data highlights a sustained warming trend of +1.55°C above baseline for South Korea, with 2025 standing as the 3rd warmest year overall at 13.43°C. On a global scale, worldwide land temperatures for the month ranked 3rd highest on record at 15.8°C (+1.6°C anomaly).
What changed
South Korea's three-month temperature anomaly of +2.0°C underscores a rapidly intensifying summer warming trend across the Korean Peninsula. Comparing regional patterns across Asia, South Korea experienced a July anomaly 0.98°C warmer than the broader continental group average of +1.57°C, making it the top temperature mover among all 23 tracked Asian nations for the month. This localised surge far outpaced regional norms, placing the country among the most amplified warm anomalies in East Asia.
What’s driving change?
The primary atmospheric driver behind the extraordinary heat was a persistent high-pressure configuration, where the North Pacific High and Tibetan High overlapped to create oppressive that trapped thermal energy over the peninsula and stifled cloud development. Built environment dynamics further intensified conditions across major metropolitan areas, keeping night-time temperatures unusually high. These atmospheric conditions are unfolding alongside a moderate El Niño in the tropical Pacific, tracked live at ENSO. Historically, El Niño events carry a modest tendency to induce warmer conditions across East Asia, amplifying regional summer warmth.
Looking ahead
With climate models showing a 100% probability of El Niño continuing through the remainder of the year and a 93% likelihood of reaching Very Strong status between September and November, temperatures across South Korea are expected to remain well above seasonal averages over the coming months (ENSO).
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
At a Glance
Temperature – Average
Climate Map – Global
Source: NOAA Climate at a Glance (countries & continents) · Met Office (UK) · US states & climate regions. Anomalies are vs the 1961–1990 baseline. See methodology.
Typical Climate – South Korea
Köppen Dwa · ContinentalSouth Korea has a continental climate (Köppen Dwa: Humid continental - dry winter, hot summer), with both a warm/cold cycle and a wet/dry cycle through the year. August is typically the warmest month, averaging 26.0°C, while January is the coldest at -0.4°C. Annual precipitation averages around 1244mm, concentrated mostly in the wet season.
Monthly climate normals (2016–2025) - bar colour and height show average temperature, the shaded area shows average monthly rain, with snow (water-equivalent) shown separately.
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Long-Term Trends
Combined Timeline – South Korea
Right axis: everything else standardized to standard deviations (σ) from its own average, since mm/hours/days aren't directly comparable to °C or to each other.
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Heatwave Days – South Korea
Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - the WMO/ETCCDI heatwave measure: days in a 6+ day run above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that time of year.
Data: World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal (ERA5-derived). Refreshed roughly 1-2x/year, ~7-8 months behind present.
Year-on-Year Trends
The 4byo Climate Helix – South Korea
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Monthly Temperature – South Korea
Background lines show the last 40 years (plus the record year and its opposite, wherever they fall).
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Records – South Korea
Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP) - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Warm/cold + wet/dryKöppen Dfa · ContinentalSouth Korea has both a clear warm/cold cycle (±14.1°C) and a wet/dry cycle (7× wet:dry ratio). Both sides of the annual rhythm are shown below.
Monthly precipitation climatology. A “wet month” exceeds the baseline monthly mean (dashed gold line). Biggest month-to-month shift: Oct (+46 mm, +102%).
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Emissions & Energy
Explore
Explore Climate Data
Data Sources
Data Sources for South Korea
Every figure on this page is sourced from official, openly published climate datasets. Anomalies are calculated against the 1961–1990 baseline (temperature) and 1991–2020 (rainfall, sunshine, frost) - see the Methodology & Sources page for the complete dataset list and update calendar.
Country-level temperature anomaly, sourced from Copernicus ERA5 and Hadley HadCRUT5.
Annual country and global CO₂ emissions, from the Global Carbon Project.
Monthly rainfall - Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (DWD) preferred, World Bank CCKP/CRU TS fallback where GPCC lacks direct coverage.
Frost Days and Heatwave Days (Warm Spell Duration Index), ERA5-derived. World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal.
Monthly snow water-equivalent, Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (DWD).
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in South Korea changing?
South Korea is warming in line with the rest of the world. The page above shows the latest monthly temperature anomaly versus the 1961-1990 baseline, the long-term annual trend, and the region's rank in the historical record. The headline panel also shows the long-term trend rate per decade and the warmest and coolest years on file.
What is the climate like in South Korea?
South Korea has a continental climate (Köppen Dwa: Humid continental - dry winter, hot summer), with both a warm/cold cycle and a wet/dry cycle through the year. August is typically the warmest month, averaging 26.0°C, while January is the coldest at -0.4°C. Annual precipitation averages around 1244mm, concentrated mostly in the wet season.
Where does the climate data for South Korea come from?
Climate data for South Korea comes from Our World in Data, sourcing Copernicus ERA5 and HadCRUT5 (national temperature anomaly) and the Global Carbon Project via Our World in Data (CO₂ emissions), refreshed every month, when the upstream temperature and rainfall data are refreshed.
What is the climate baseline used on this page?
Anomalies on this page are calculated against the 1961-1990 climatological baseline, which is the standard reference period used by the Met Office, NOAA, IPCC and most national climate services. Some panels also show the source-native 1901-2000 (NOAA) or 1991-2020 (WMO) baselines for verification. See Methodology & Sources for the full reference.
Which areas does the South Korea climate data cover?
The South Korea climate profile covers Seoul, Busan, Incheon, Daegu and surrounding areas. Temperature, rainfall and emissions data for South Korea
How often is the South Korea climate update refreshed?
The South Korea climate update is refreshed monthly, typically a few days after the previous month closes and the upstream provider (Met Office HadUK-Grid, NOAA Climate at a Glance, Copernicus ERA5 or the Global Carbon Project) publishes its update. See the Climate Rankings for cross-region comparisons.
What counts as a Heatwave Day on the South Korea climate page?
Heatwave Days use the Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - the WMO/ETCCDI-standard heatwave measure: days that are part of a run of 6 or more consecutive days above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that calendar day. The 90th-percentile threshold varies by time of year (a hot day in January is judged differently to one in July) but is fixed to the 1961-1990 baseline for every year shown - it does not shift as the climate warms, which is why Heatwave Days trend upward over time.
Does the South Korea climate page include frost and snow data?
Yes. Frost Days (days with a minimum temperature below 0°C, World Bank CCKP) and snow water-equivalent (GPCC) are shown alongside temperature and precipitation, each measured against the 1961-1990 baseline where a like-for-like historical comparison is available.