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Climate of cities
in South Korea
Korea’s climate is regarded as a continental climate from the
temperature standpoint and a monsoonal climate from the
precipitation standpoint. The beautiful country experiences four
distinct seasons with a wet monsoon/summer in the middle of the
year to a very cruel winter from November to March. The best time
to visit the country is from September to November when the place
is in its full autumnal bloom. The seasons Korea can be classified
into are:
Spring : Late March to
May
Monsoon : June to
early September
Autumn : September to
November
Winter : December to
mid-March
SPRING
March to May experiences a relatively warm weather. It is a
wonderful season with the mountains and fields covered with varied
flowers including the much loved Cherry Blossom. The annual Cherry
Blossom festival is held in Masan. It also marks the arrival of
swallow, a migratory bird from south. This is the time when the
slight drizzles actually help in harvesting rice, spring
vegetables and barley. Spring is short in northern part of Korea.
The country is swarmed by Japanese tourists during this time and
it is virtually impossible for any other tourist to find a
suitable accommodation in any of the top or middle tier hotels in
the country.
Temperature: 5 to 18 degree C
MONSOON/SUMMER
This is the hot and humid time of the year. Sometimes temperature
rises above 20 degree C and days do become a little bit
uncomfortable. The days are muggy and sticky and the country
experiences heavy rainfalls (including typhoons) which is
generally more than 100 millimeters in a month. The rainy season
is known as jangma. Floods are common during this period. The
Southern coast is subject to late summer typhoons that brings with
it heavy rainfall. For the records, Jeju-do off the southern coast
is the warmest and wettest place in the country. On an average
Pusan, the southernmost city tends to be 5 degrees C warmer then
Seoul. But most schools do have aircon so you don’t get to feel
the heat much. Subways, though, can be intoxicating.
Temperature: mid 20s C
AUTUMN
This is considered to the most pleasant season in Korea. The
weather is cool and sunny with near perfect temperatures. The fall
is also known as the t-shirt weather. It is the perfect time to go
for hiking. This is also the season of the ‘red leaf’ or maples as
it is more commonly known to us. The leaves turn color at the
onset of October. The peak period to see them is towards the end
of the month. One can visit Mt. Seorak to have a great view of the
beautiful autumnal scenery. The colorful leaves falling on the
sidewalk adds color to the city and the view is simply
enthralling. On the flip side the temperatures does fluctuate a
lot between day and night.
Temperature: 3 to 26 degrees C
WINTER
Winter weather in Korea is similar to the weather in Washington
D.C. The temperature hovers around freezing and though it snows in
Seoul, it rarely accumulates. It is bitterly cold during these
months due to the cold Siberian air which blows from the north.
The temples are all snow draped and the more adventurous one can
go for skiing. The northern and the eastern parts of Korea is
subject to heavy snow and hence a haven for skiers. You will not
be able to see many tourists around at this time of the year. So
until you enjoy roaming around in multi-layered clothing it is
best to avoid a visit here. On the upside, Korean skies wear a
clear blue sky throughout winter.
Temperature: -7 to 10 degrees C
OVERVIEW OF CLIMATIC CONDITIONS IN KOREAN TESOL LOCATIONS
EPIK Scheme
Busan – 2nd largest
Metropolitan city. It has an oceanic climate with mild
temperatures throughout the year. The average is 15 degrees C with
the number of rainy days pegged at 98.3. The best time to visit
Busan is undoubtedly in the autumn.
Incheon – a major
sea-port and a huge demand for ESL teachers. Temperate and
enjoyable climate throughout the year. The annual average
temperature is 11.3 degrees C and number of rainy days is
101.7.Again autumn is the best time to visit.
Daegu – the ‘city of
hope’ enjoys an average temperature of 13.7 degrees C. Rainfall is
similar to Incheon. The city is known for its fertile agricultural
lands.
Gwangju – Mecca for
arts and culture. The sixth largest city in South Korea enjoys an
average temperature of 14 degrees C.
Daejeon – it’s the
fifth largest city of South Korea. It enjoys a very basic season
with temperatures dipping below zero in the winter, summers are
warm and rainy.
Ulsan – the average
annual temperature is 14.3 degrees C. The city, 70 km north of
Busan, is the heart of the country’s industrial belt.
Gangwon – Since the
climate belongs to a monsoon climate zone, it is cold and dry in
winter and hot and humid during simmer months. Forest fires are
quite common during summer in this part of the country.
Jeju – it is a
volcanic island with a sub-tropical climate. Half of the summer is
rainy while winter is dry.
GEPIK Scheme
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