Record March Temperatures in South Korea's Southeast Amid Warm Winds
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Synopsis
On March 23, South Korea's southeastern regions experienced record high March temperatures due to warm and dry high-pressure winds. Gumi reached 28.5°C, the highest since 1973. Other cities reported similarly high temperatures, influenced by ongoing dry conditions and global warming effects.
Key Takeaways
- Southeast South Korea saw record March heat.
- Gumi recorded the highest temperature at 28.5°C.
- Various cities set new temperature highs.
- Dry conditions expected to persist.
- South Korea aims to cut emissions significantly by 2030.
Seoul, March 23 (NationPress) The southeastern regions of South Korea experienced unprecedented high temperatures for March on Sunday, attributed to unusual warm and dry high-pressure winds, according to the weather agency.
The city of Gumi, located in North Gyeongsang Province, approximately 200 kilometres southeast of Seoul, reached a remarkable 28.5 degrees Celsius, marking the highest March temperature recorded since data collection began in January 1973, as reported by the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). The former record was 27.3 degrees Celsius set on March 29, 1998.
Further southern areas also noted record-breaking temperatures, with Daegu at 27.9 degrees Celsius, Andong at 25.7 degrees Celsius, and Gyeongju—the venue for the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit—at 27.8 degrees Celsius.
In the central region, Daejeon and Incheon, located west of Seoul, also established new temperature records of 26.4 degrees Celsius and 25.5 degrees Celsius, respectively, according to the KMA.
Seoul itself recorded 24.0 degrees Celsius, placing it among several other cities that noted their second-highest temperatures for March.
The KMA indicated that the unusually high temperatures are primarily caused by hot and dry westerly winds. With ongoing dry conditions, the agency anticipates that temperatures will remain 3 to 11 degrees above the seasonal average for an extended period, as reported by Yonhap news agency.
South Korea is currently facing extreme temperatures, including record heatwaves, driven by several factors such as global warming, rising greenhouse gas emissions, and specific weather phenomena like high-pressure systems and monsoon variability.
As one of the world's leading emitters, South Korea has outlined a strategy to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to 40% below 2018 levels by 2030 and aims for carbon neutrality by 2050.
Industrialization and population growth have resulted in higher emissions of pollutants and greenhouse gases, exacerbating climate change.
Upper-level high pressure over the Korean Peninsula, influenced by zonal CGT-like wave train patterns, can trigger heat waves.
