2024 was the hottest year on record: state weather agency

Youngsters play with water at a water fountaint in Seoul, June 19. Korea Occasions picture by Chung Da-bin

The 12 months 2024 was the warmest 12 months in Korea since trendy record-keeping started 113 years in the past, the state climate company stated Thursday, citing a surge in sea floor temperatures.

The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) stated the typical annual temperature final 12 months was 14.5 levels Celsius, which is 2 levels larger than the previous 30-year common of 12.5 levels.

The determine was the very best in 52 years since nationwide climate observations started in 1973. Additionally it is the very best ever since meteorological observations started at six places on the Korean Peninsula, together with Seoul, Busan, Daegu and Gangneung, 113 years in the past in 1911.

The earlier report for the most popular annual temperature was set only one 12 months earlier in 2023, at 13.7 levels, the KMA famous.

It stated that the typical month-to-month temperatures for all 12 months final 12 months exceeded the 30-year common temperatures. Specifically, the typical month-to-month temperature in September was 24.7 levels, 4.2 levels larger than the 30-year common.

The company cited rising sea floor temperatures as the principle trigger for final 12 months’s record-breaking annual temperature.

Final 12 months, the typical annual sea floor temperature in waters across the peninsula was 18.6 levels, which was 1.3 levels larger than the 10-year common of 17.3 levels, the KMA stated. In September, the typical sea floor temperature surged to 27.4 levels, 3.2 degreeshigher than the 10-year common of 24.2 levels, it added. (Yonhap)