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Korea posts second-warmest spring on record as KMA warns of new normal

Published: 03 Jun. 2026, 07:00

People walk along Cheonggyecheon in Jongno District, central Seoul, on June 2. [JOONGANG ILBO]

This spring was the second-warmest on record in Korea, according to a Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) report on Tuesday.

The average temperature nationwide from March through May was 13.3 degrees Celsius (56 degrees Fahrenheit). The hottest ever spring on record was in 2023, with average temperatures recorded at 13.5 degrees Celsius. Korea began nationwide weather observations in 1973.

The KMA report states that summerlike springs are becoming increasingly common.

An analysis of spring temperatures over the past 54 years found that seven of the 10 warmest springs on record occurred within the past decade, from 2017 to 2026. Four of the five warmest springs occurred within the past five years — 2023, 2026, 2024 and 2022 — with 2025 being the only exception.

“The warming trend in spring temperatures has become increasingly evident,” a KMA official said.

People enjoy the warm weather in front of water fountains in Jongno District, central Seoul, on June 2. [NEWS1]

The immediate cause of this year’s unusually warm spring was a persistent high-pressure system, bringing clear skies that allowed for strong sunshine, with hot and dry conditions common. Rainfall was also relatively infrequent.

The system is caused by a strengthening of atmospheric wave patterns.

In the midlatitudes, atmospheric waves typically alternate between high- and low-pressure systems as they move from west to east. Between late February and mid-April, however, changes in atmospheric wave patterns began near the North Atlantic. As pressure patterns shifted, upper-level high-pressure systems became prominent across Europe, central Siberia, the eastern Indian Ocean and the East Sea.

Similar high-pressure systems frequently lingered over Korea, pushing temperatures higher. In May, changes in mid-latitude atmospheric waves caused a ridge of high pressure near central Siberia to shift toward Korea. Combined with strong sunshine and warm air flowing along the edge of the high-pressure system, temperatures rose significantly.

People sit along Cheonggyecheon in Jongno District, central Seoul, on June 1. [YONHAP]

As a result, numerous temperature records were set across the country. The average temperature in late March reached 11.1 degrees Celsius, the third-highest on record. April averaged 15.4 degrees Celsius, ranking second, and May averaged 19.7 degrees Celsius, the highest ever recorded.

In mid-May, heat wave conditions arrived earlier than ever before in Gumi, Geochang County, Mungyeong, Andong, Yeongcheon and the North and South Gyeongsang provinces.

On May 30, Gangneung in Gangwon recorded its first tropical night — when temperatures remain above 25 degrees Celsius overnight — 19 days earlier than last year.

“This spring’s weather allowed people to directly experience the ongoing warming trend," KMA administrator Lee Mi-seon said. “Because extreme heat, tropical nights, the monsoon season and heavy rainfall could cause significant damage this summer, we will closely monitor abnormal climate conditions.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY HEO JEONG-WON. [[email protected]]