Cold and Chilly April... Seoul Records the Latest Spring Snowfall

Average Temperature 1.3 Degrees Lower Than Normal
Snowfall Due to Cold Air
Heavy Snow Recorded in Jeju Mountain Areas
Temperatures Plummet Amid Strong Winds

Schematic diagram of the global atmospheric pressure system in April this year (Provided by the Korea Meteorological Administration)

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] April this year was colder than usual with strong winds making it chilly.

According to the 'April 2020 Weather Characteristics' announced by the Korea Meteorological Administration on the 6th, the nationwide average temperature in April was 10.9°C, ranking 5th lowest since 1973. This temperature is 1.3°C lower than the average.

The cause of this late cold snap was the stagnation of warm air masses north-west of Lake Baikal, which weakened the west-east prevailing westerly winds and strengthened the north-south flow, resulting in frequent inflows of cold and dry air from the northwest into Korea.

Nationwide precipitation was 40.3 mm, less than the average (56.1~89.8 mm). However, due to the influence of cold air, rain turned into snow. On the 12th and 22nd of last month, low-pressure systems accompanied by cold air below -25°C in the upper atmosphere moved deeply southward to the Korean Peninsula. On the 12th, heavy snow fell in the mountainous areas of Jeju Island, and on the early morning of the 22nd, sleet officially observed in Seoul marked the latest spring snow since weather observations began in 1907.

There were also many days with strong winds. Due to significant pressure changes around Korea, strong winds blew across most regions nationwide. Between the 21st and 25th of last month, maximum wind speeds ranged from 12.7 to 25.6 m/s. The number of dust storm days nationwide was 0.7 days, less than the average of 2.5 days.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.