Kim Rahn is the managing editor of The Korea Times. Since joining the company in 2003, she has covered various beats including the presidential office, Seoul city government, the Bank of Korea and the tourism industry. In 2014, she won the Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA) award for her coverage of the ordeals of migrant women in Korea.
Scorching heat grips eastern parts of nation earlier than usual
People take to the water at Gyeongpo Beach in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, Friday, as early summer heat grips the region. / Yonhap
By Kim Rahn
By Kim Rahn
Eastern parts of the county have been suffering sizzling heat that has come earlier than usual, with Gangneung in Gangwon Province having two consecutive tropical nights, the year's first, according to the weather agency, Sunday.
A tropical night refers to conditions in which the mercury does not fall below 25 degrees Celsius.
According to the Gangwon regional office of the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), Gangneung's overnight lows were 25.1 degrees between Saturday and Sunday, and 27.4 degrees between Friday and Saturday.
It was the earliest tropical night recorded in the Gangneung region, almost a month earlier than last year's first on June 23. It was also the second-earliest in the nation's recorded weather history since 1973 when Korea started to observe the tropical night phenomenon, following May 16 last year when Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, had a sultry night.
Many other parts of the east coast also had high temperatures, reaching nearly 33 degrees during the day over the weekend, as west winds brought hot air to the area, the KMA said.
The early heat has sparked concerns over whether this summer's heat wave will be as scorching as last year's, which recorded the highest temperatures and the longest tropical nights in almost all parts of the country, including 41 degrees in Hongcheon in Gangwon and 39.6 degrees in Seoul.
But the KMA predicted this year's heat wave will not be as severe as last year's, although temperatures over 33 degrees will continue for days.
Announcing its three-month forecast for June to August, the weather agency said deep snow on the Tibetan Plateau would help prevent a steep temperature rise in early summer.
“Chances of the nation experiencing a heat wave as strong and continuous as last year seem small,” a KMA official said. “But in the middle of summer, we may have torrential rains.”
One to three typhoons are also forecast to affect the country, he said.
In the meantime, rain is expected on Monday throughout the country, bringing relief from the heat.