Overview

• Seventeen new local temperature records fell on August 4 as Japan capped its hottest June and July since 1898, the JMA said.
• Tamba on western Honshu reached a national record 41.2°C on July 30, while Komatsu and Toyama registered highs of 40.3°C and 39.8°C respectively during the early August heat surge.
• Seoul endured its 22nd consecutive tropical night with temperatures failing to drop below 25°C, hitting a low of 29.3°C, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration.
• An early end to Japan’s rainy season left several northern dams nearly empty, prompting water shortage warnings and concerns over rice and vegetable harvests.
• Scientists attribute the unprecedented heat intensity to human-driven climate change, and forecast models suggest that above-average temperatures will continue into September.