June Average Temperature in Gwangju and Jeonnam Hits Record High of 22.9 Degrees

Earliest Occurrence of a Tropical Night on Record

The average temperature in the Gwangju and Jeonnam regions in June was the highest since weather observations began in 1973. According to the climate report released by the Gwangju Regional Meteorological Administration on July 4, last month's regional average temperature was 22.9 degrees Celsius, which is 1.4 degrees higher than the average year and 0.2 degrees higher than last year.

On the 2nd, the sixth consecutive day of a heatwave advisory, children are enjoying water play at the floor fountain plaza in Sinyong Neighborhood Park, Bukgu, Gwangju. Photo by Yonhap News

In Gwangju, the first tropical night of the year occurred on June 19, marking the earliest occurrence on record. On June 29 and 30, the city recorded the highest daily average temperature ever for those dates. The number of days with heatwaves and tropical nights was 0.7 days and 1 day, respectively, ranking third and first in observation history.

The Korea Meteorological Administration explained that the frequent southwesterly winds, caused by the development of a high-pressure system in the southeastern part of the country, led to higher-than-average temperatures. In particular, at the end of June, hot and humid air flowed in along the edge of the North Pacific high-pressure system, and strong solar radiation further intensified the heat.

Precipitation totaled 171.4 mm, and the number of rainy days was 10.1, both similar to the average year. However, the monsoon rains in the southern region began on June 19-20, which is 3 to 4 days earlier than usual, due to convective activity near the Philippines and higher sea surface temperatures.