Warmest winter, smallest snowfall on record in Korea

South Korea had its warmest January and the least recorded snowfall, with the average temperature standing at 2.8 degrees Celsius, the weather agency said Tuesday.

The average temperature in January was 3.8 C higher than the 30-year average temperatures, with an average daytime high of 7.7 C and low of minus 1.1 C, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration.

There were no days in January when the daytime low plummeted below minus 12, considered for the cold weather advisory, and when the daytime high fell to subzero temperatures, setting a new record for the country.

Korea saw its least snow on record -- 0.3 centimeters of snowfall in Seoul, with no snow observed in 13 cities across the country. It snowed for 2.4 days on average nationwide.

Instead, the country recorded the second-highest amount of rainfall on average for January, 83.4 milliliters, tripling the 30-year average precipitation. January 1989 saw 101.5 mm of rainfall.

The small amount of snowfall and unusually warm winter are attributed to high temperatures in Siberia, cold air blocked from coming down to the Korean Peninsula and warm, humid air coming from the western Pacific region, the agency said.

North Korea, which usually has colder winters, recorded an average temperature of 3.8 C in January, 3.9 C higher than average, and received triple its average rainfall at 35 mm. 

(laeticia.ock@heraldcorp.com)