Understanding the Characteristics of the Heatwaves using Temperature as the Only Variable – A Case Study on the Heatwaves in 1994 in South Korea

Abstract

Acutely warm weather coupled with extreme weather variables or latent cooling due to a deficit of soil moisture could generate heatwaves. South Korea is highly susceptible to heatwaves that occur annually in different intensities and cause devastating impacts. This study aimed to identify the characteristics of the heatwaves, especially focusing on one of the most severe heatwaves observed in 1994 in South Korea using only temperature as a variable. The summer season, June to September (JJAS), was selected for the study because heatwaves were prominent during the summer in South Korea. The maximum and minimum daily temperatures were collected from the 67 meteorological stations located in South Korea. The mean daily 95th percentiles of the temperatures were assessed to identify the heatwave durations and the intensities. In 1994, the 15 stations recorded their highest heatwave durations, and durations varied between 48 to 66 days in the JJAS season. Busan station recorded the highest heatwave duration in 1994, which persisted for 66 days or throughout half of the season. Further, it was interesting to identify that coastal meteorological stations were most vulnerable to heatwaves in South Korea. However, the relationship between temperature intensities and heatwave duration for coastal cities showed statistically low significance. Furthermore, it is identified that the daily maximum temperature was most influential in the occurrence of heatwaves in both the coastal and mainland meteorological stations, except for Pohang and Ulleungdo. Therefore, the characteristics of heatwaves observed in 1994 in South Korea were identified using temperature as the only variable. Furthermore, a study on the dynamic atmospheric oscillations due to heated waves in coastal regions of South Korea over characteristics of heatwaves observed in South Korea is suggested