Is it spring already? Korea sees unusually warm weather this week.

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Is it spring already? Korea sees unusually warm weather this week.

Published: 05 Dec. 2023, 17:09 Updated: 05 Dec. 2023, 17:10

LEE SOO-JUNG
lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr

People walk along the coast in bare feet at Iho Tewoo Beach, Jeju, on Sunday. [NEWS1]

Korea is experiencing unseasonably warm weather on Tuesday, with daytime temperatures exceeding 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit).

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), Seoul’s and Daejeon’s temperatures peaked at 12 degrees Celsius in the early afternoon. Daily highs in southern areas of Korea and Jeju Island ranged between 14 to 18.6 degrees Celsius.

Busan’s daily high was 16.3 degrees Celsius.

Daytime temperatures in the Chungcheong provinces ranged from 11 to 13 degrees Celsius. Daily highs were 11 to 14 degrees Celsius in North Jeolla and North Gyeongsang and 13 to 16 degrees Celsius in South Jeolla and South Gyeongsang.

In mountainous inland regions in Gangwon, temperatures reached 8.8 degrees Celsius, while coastal areas saw temperatures as high as 13.7 degrees Celsius.

On Tuesday morning, some parts of the country experienced subzero morning lows, leading to 10 to 15 degrees Celsius gaps between daytime highs and morning lows.

Warmer winter weather will revisit Korea on Friday.

The KMA predicted a daily high of 15 degrees Celsius in Seoul and 20 degrees Celsius in Jeju on Friday.

It added that Korea will experience a milder, warmer winter with intermittent bouts of freezing cold this winter.

“Rising ocean temperatures and global warming can bring warmer winter,” KMA official Cho Kyung-sook said. “Still, people should be aware that short cold snaps could occur.”

Temperature map of Asia on Sunday. Areas in red had higher-then-usual temperatures. [CLIMATE REANALYZER]

International weather authorities have predicted a record-warm winter, with continuous early-spring-like weather.

According to research by the Chinese International Center for Climate and Environment Sciences (ICCES), global surface temperatures will be the highest on record this winter because of El Niño and long-lasting global warming.

El Niño is a weather phenomenon when the east Pacific’s water temperature remains 0.5 degrees higher than in average years.

“A strong El Niño will reach its maturity within two to three months and control the climate of East Asia and North America,” the ICCES research team said. “El Niño will gain strength in winter, and there is a 95 percent probability of having unprecedented winter temperature worldwide.”

The research team said low- and mid-latitude countries should expect a milder winter than usual.

In fact, Asian countries in low- and mid-latitudes have been experiencing abnormally high temperatures this winter.

Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, saw temperatures as high as 35.6 degrees Celsius on Sunday.

The Chinese weather authority believes that temperatures in China from Tuesday to Sunday will set new records for December.

BY CHUN KWON-PIL, LEE SOO-JUNG [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]