Seoul: South Korea recorded its second hottest July on record this year as intense heat waves and tropical nights gripped the nation, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said Tuesday.

According to Anadolu Agency, the average nationwide temperature in July reached 27.1C (80.7F), just behind the record 27.7C (81.8F) set in July 1994, as reported by the KMA. The country experienced 14.5 days of heat waves, defined as daily highs above 33C (91.4F), marking the third most for July behind 17.7 days in 1994 and 15.4 days in 2018.

South Korea also recorded 6.7 tropical nights last month, marking the fourth most on record. The scorching temperatures began early in July, driven by the earlier-than-usual influence of the North Pacific high-pressure system, and intensified later with the added influence of the Tibetan high.

Despite the extreme heat, South Korea also received 249 millimeters (9.8 inches) of rainfall in July, less than the long-term average of 296.5 millimeters (11.6 inches) for July.