South Korea Climate – June 2026 Update
Top 5 Cities: Seoul, Busan, Incheon, Daegu, and Daejeon
This month in numbers
June 2026 was South Korea's warmest June on record, with an average temperature of 22.72°C, marking an anomaly of +2.3°C compared to the 1961–1990 baseline. This makes it the 1st warmest June in 86 years of records. Globally, June 2026 was the 3rd warmest June for land temperatures, with an anomaly of +1°C. The April–June 2026 period also ranked as the 2nd warmest globally for land temperatures, with an anomaly of +1°C.
What changed
While June saw record-breaking warmth, the broader April–June 2026 period in South Korea was the 12th warmest on record, with an average temperature of 17.34°C, an anomaly of +1.3°C. This indicates a significant warming trend, though not as extreme as the single-month record. South Korea's June anomaly of +2.32°C was notably warmer than the Asia group average of +1.57°C, placing it 50th out of 234 regions globally for the latest month's anomaly.
What’s driving change?
The exceptional warmth in June, coupled with the season, can be attributed to several factors. A weak El Niño is currently active, with a strong likelihood of persisting through the end of the year. El Niño typically brings warmer and wetter conditions to East Asia during winter, but its influence can also lead to increased heatwaves and heavy rainfall during summer, particularly in southern regions. Indeed, June saw record high temperatures in various parts of South Korea, with Gyeongsan reaching 34.2°C and Seoul hitting 29°C on June 14, followed by sudden thunderstorms with heavy rain and hail. The Korea Meteorological Administration noted that cold, dry air from the north has been delaying the northward advance of the seasonal rain front, contributing to the unusual early-summer heat and scattered showers instead of prolonged monsoon rainfall.
Looking ahead
With El Niño forecast to continue, South Korea can anticipate a hotter and rainier summer than average, with increased chances of concentrated heavy rainfall and potential for extreme heatwaves in the coming months.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
At a Glance
Temperature – Average
Year-on-Year Trends
The 4byo Climate Helix – South Korea
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (rainfall: World Bank CCKP / CRU TS 4.08). Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
South Korea – Monthly Temperature – All Years
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (rainfall: World Bank CCKP / CRU TS 4.08). Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
Records – South Korea
Our World in Data / NOAA - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Warm/cold + wet/dryKöppen Dfa · ContinentalSouth Korea has both a clear warm/cold cycle (±14.1°C) and a wet/dry cycle (9× wet:dry ratio). Both sides of the annual rhythm are shown below.
Monthly rainfall climatology. A “wet month” exceeds the baseline monthly mean (dashed gold line). Biggest month-to-month shift: Oct (+41 mm, +75%).
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (rainfall: World Bank CCKP / CRU TS 4.08). Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
Rainfall & Precipitation
Rainfall & Rain Days – Totals
Headline: anomaly vs the 1961–1990 mean. Small figure: the actual value. Rank: position in the full record (1st = highest ever). Record: highest (or lowest) value on record with its year.
Emissions & Energy
Explore
Explore Climate Data
Data Sources
Data Sources for South Korea
Every figure on this page is sourced from official, openly published climate datasets. Anomalies are calculated against the 1961–1990 baseline (temperature) and 1991–2020 (rainfall, sunshine, frost) - see the Methodology & Sources page for the complete dataset list and update calendar.
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in South Korea changing?
South Korea is warming in line with the rest of the world. The page above shows the latest monthly temperature anomaly versus the 1961-1990 baseline, the long-term annual trend, and the region's rank in the historical record. The headline panel also shows the long-term trend rate per decade and the warmest and coolest years on file.
Where does the climate data for South Korea come from?
Climate data for South Korea comes from Our World in Data, sourcing Copernicus ERA5 and HadCRUT5 (national temperature anomaly) and the Global Carbon Project via Our World in Data (CO₂ emissions), refreshed every month, when the upstream temperature and rainfall data are refreshed.
What is the climate baseline used on this page?
Anomalies on this page are calculated against the 1961-1990 climatological baseline, which is the standard reference period used by the Met Office, NOAA, IPCC and most national climate services. Some panels also show the source-native 1901-2000 (NOAA) or 1991-2020 (WMO) baselines for verification. See Methodology & Sources for the full reference.
Which areas does the South Korea climate data cover?
The South Korea climate profile covers Seoul, Busan, Incheon, Daegu and surrounding areas. Temperature, rainfall and emissions data for South Korea
How often is the South Korea climate update refreshed?
The South Korea climate update is refreshed monthly, typically a few days after the previous month closes and the upstream provider (Met Office HadUK-Grid, NOAA Climate at a Glance, Copernicus ERA5 or the Global Carbon Project) publishes its update. See the Climate Rankings for cross-region comparisons.