There have been warm stretches so far this summer across most of the islands. But the heat and occasional humidity are nothing compared to what’s going on in Northeast Asia. HPR’s Bill Dorman has more in today’s Asia Minute.
Folks in Shanghai suffered through some brutal heat the other day—state run Xinhua News called it the hottest day in that city in 145 years.
The peak: 41 degrees Celsius—nearly 106 degrees Farenheit.
Local media reported that in nearby Hangzhou hundreds of people packed the train station—not because of travel, but because of the air conditioning.
In South Korea, it’s the hottest summer in 23 years.
The Korea Meteorological Administration says that temperatures around 33 degrees Celsius, 91 degrees Fahrenheit, are expected to “last for a while nationwide.”
And it’s sticky.
The Chosun Ilbo reports the KMA also says that “instead of even levels of precipitation,” this year’s rainy season in South Korea brought “unpredictable local downpours, making hot and humid conditions linger across the country.”
Japan has also been suffering from dramatic heat this summer—with temperatures consistently topping 95 degrees across several regions.
The Fire and Disaster Management Agency reports more than 1,800 people have been hospitalized with heat stroke in Japan over the last week alone.
And those sweltering temperatures are expected to linger across the region.
