World weather changes hit Korea, as well

Records set in rainfall, high temperatures

In 2006, the entire world experienced abnormal climate changes due to global warming. South Korea was no exception, setting various records this year in terms of weather.

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration on December 29, the average temperature of the entire globe was 14 degrees Celsius, 0.42 degrees higher than usual, and in the northern hemisphere, this figure was 14.6 degrees Celsius, the sixth and fourth hottest year, respectively, since 1904, when the weather tracking organization began modern weather surveys. In South Korea, the temperature was 13 degrees Celsius on average, 0.6 degrees higher than usual, the fifth hottest year since 1904, the organization said.

The average temperature in October, in particular, was at an all-time high of 16.9 degrees Celsius, 2.7 degrees higher than last year’s average. The temperature in August registered the second highest level of 26.5 degrees, 1.5 degrees higher than usual.

In addition, South Korea saw 1,464.4 mm in precipitation in 2006, 148.7 mm more than in a common year, but the July rainfall in the central part of the nation set a national record, with a series of strong rainy spells and typhoons.

The year 2006 saw more tropical nights than in a normal year, with 34 of such nights in Seogwipo and 27 in Mokpo. Daegwallryeong saw only 46 days with a low of less than -10 degrees Celsius, 14 days fewer than the 59.9-day average. Gangneung and Busan saw not one day with lows dipping below -10 degrees Celsius. Gangneung saw four such days last year, and Busan saw two.

Gangneung had rainfall of 304 mm in a single day on October 23, setting a new record for daily autumn precipitation, while Sokcho recorded a record wind of 63.7 meters per second on the same day, the strongest winds ever recorded in South Korea.

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