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Despite weeks of rain, so-called tropical nights have started nationwide. Normally it is only once the rainy season is over that nighttime temperatures stay above a ¡°tropical¡± 25 degrees Celsius, and the continuing rain prompted predictions that there would be fewer of them than last year.
But the Korea Meteorological Administration on Sunday said Seoul saw six tropical nights in the 12 days of August, Daegu five days and Jeonju seven.
In Seoul, where it rained every day this month, the frequency of tropical nights has increased steeply compared to the average in previous years. From 1971 to 2000, there were 3.2 tropical nights in August, and between 2001 and 2006 there were 4.8, or between once every 10 days and once a week. Yet this year every other night has been tropical.
Experts explain the recent tropical nights are different from those of the past. Prof. Ha Kyung-ja of Pusan National University¡¯s Deartment of Atmospheric Sciences said, ¡°Usually, pollutants in the atmosphere are the biggest culprit in the urban heat-island effect that blocks heat radiation. But recently, vapor in the air has been the most important factor in the heat-island effect.¡±
Vapors in the air trap radiated heat from the sun in cities even though rain washes out the pollutants in the air. The rain cloud that brought sudden showers in Korea also trapped the radiation heat, Ha said.
Meanwhile, strong winds and high waves that hit the southern and western coast on Sunday are likely to continue until Tuesday. Heavy rains accompanied by thunder and lightening, strong wind and tidal waves could hit in the southern part of Korea from Monday afternoon, the KMA said. It urged careful management of facilities and flood damage prevention.
From Monday, another tropical cyclone formed by the year¡¯s sixth typhoon Pabuk, which disappeared on Aug. 9 around Hong Kong, will influence Korea and bring rain by Tuesday.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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