Korea Records Warmest November Day Ever

Korea recorded its warmest November day on Thursday as the daytime high reached 30.7 degrees Celsius in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province.

Despite the late autumn day, many people were out in short-sleeved shirts to enjoy the summer weather.

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, the mercury climbed to 25.9 degrees in Seoul on Thursday, the highest for the time of year since 1907.

Other record-breaking regions included Gyeongju in North Gyeongsang Province (29.4 degrees), Gangneung in Gangwon Province (29.2 degrees), Jeonju in North Jeolla Province (27.1 degrees), Cheongju in North Chungcheong Province and Seongsan in Jeju (both 26.5 degrees).

This is not the first time a high pressure front has brought warm winds into the country this late in the season as ocean surface temperatures around the Korean Peninsula are two to three degrees higher than average and about 0.5 degrees higher in November than in previous years.

September was also recorded as the hottest on record with average daytime lows at 19 degrees as no cold winds blew from the north to cool down the peninsula.

October saw some cold winds that were about to bring temperatures back to normal, but since then a mass of hot winds has been blowing from the south, driving up temperatures to the level of early summer.

The abnormally warm weather phenomenon could continue further because El Niño -- a climate pattern of unusual warming of surface waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean -- will grow stronger in December.