Heatwave advisories were issued here in South Korea,... in the earliest part of the year on record,... which has people wondering if this will be a hotter year than 2018.
Our Choi Si-young talked to an expert,... to find out more.
Since 2008, when South Korea's weather agency began to issue heatwave advisories,... most of them came into effect in June.
But starting in 2014, the month of May also saw days,... with heatwave advisories in place.
That trend continued until 2017.
In 2018, the hottest year on record here in Korea,... the first heatwave advisories came into effect on June 1.
Now, for the first time in eleven years, heatwave advisories were put into place in Gwang-ju on May 15,... the earliest day of the year on record.
Locals who recall last year's sizzling heat are wondering,... if we could see an even hotter year this time around.
Some experts say the early heatwave doesn't necessarily mean it will be hotter this year.
"Full-scale summer heat starts after the monsoon front settles in, so any heatwave before the arrival of the front in May, for instance, can't really be an indicator of how hot it's going to be in the summer."
The expert adds that the country is unlikely to go through a prolonged heatwave this year.
"Unlike last year when the rain front left early in July, the rain front will leave near the end of July this year. So, the summer heat will start late and will not be as bad as the one we saw last year."
Experts say South Korea isn't alone in seeing heatwaves arrive as early as May.
Countries in Europe are also seeing early heatwaves due to global warming caused by greenhouse gas emissions.
Experts note,... that weather conditions in all regions across globe are connected, so in the long run,... many regions will see similar patterns of early heat.
Choi Si-young, Arirang News.
