SEOUL: South Korea experienced a record-breaking year in 2023, emerging as the warmest in its history due to the escalating impacts of global warming that elevated the average temperature to 13.7C throughout the year.
This historic high in temperature marks a significant milestone, surpassing the previous record set in 2016 by reaching 13.4C, Yonhap news agency quoted the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA).
The KMA, which significantly strengthened its meteorological networks in 1973, considers this year as a pivotal starting point for weather records in South Korea.
The anticipation of such unprecedented warmth was evident, given the consistently elevated temperatures nationwide from January to November, with six months ranking among the top 10 warmest on record.
Even in the last month of the year, warm weather persisted, except for a brief cold snap in mid-December when the country experienced below-freezing temperatures from Dec 16 to 25.
In December, several regions recorded the highest temperatures of the month, with some areas exceeding 20C during the daytime on Dec 8. This anomaly contributed to the overall warming trend and added to the already remarkable statistics of the warmest year ever recorded in South Korea.
Simultaneously, the country witnessed a notable increase in annual rainfall, reaching 1,740.3 mm in 2023, marking the second-highest level since 2003.
The KMA attributes this substantial rainfall to heightened precipitation levels in May and throughout the summer months. – BERNAMA-YONHAP
