Seoul’s Unprecedented Blizzard: A Century-Old Record Shattered
A ferocious November blizzard dumped record-breaking snowfall on Seoul, blanketing much ofSouth Korea in a stunning, yet disruptive, winter wonderland.
Seoul awoke to a scene of breathtaking beauty and unprecedented chaos in late November 2024. A blizzard of historic proportions, fueled by a dramatic temperature contrast, shattered long-standing snowfall records, paralyzing transportation, damaging infrastructure, and transforming thecity’s landmarks into a picturesque, albeit treacherous, winter landscape. In just two days, Seoul accumulated over 28.6 centimeters (11.3 inches) of snow – a figure surpassing all previous November records.
The intensity of the storm caught many off guard. On the morning of November 27th, residents were greeted by 16.5 centimeters (6.5 inches) of fresh snow, a single-day record that eclipsedthe previous high of 12.4 centimeters (4.9 inches) set in November 1972, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) [https://www.kma.go.kr/neng/forecast/current-weather.do?auto_man=m&stn=0&dtm=&type=t20®=109&tm=2024.11.27.00%3A00]. This also marked the highest daily snowfall for November in Seoul since record-keeping began in 1907.
Butthe snowfall didn’t stop there. By the morning of November 28th, the KMA reported a staggering 28.6 centimeters (11.3 inches) of accumulated snow in Seoul, with even higher totals – 43 centimeters (17 inches) – recorded in Suwon, approximately35 kilometers (22 miles) south. The following day, with the clouds clearing, a NASA Terra satellite captured a stunning MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) image [Image source: https://static.cnbetacdn.com/article/2024/1203/14313b3f85fe1a6.jpg], showcasing the vast expanse of white blanketing the Korean peninsula.
News reports attributed the blizzard’s intensity to a unique meteorological phenomenon [https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/27/world/asia/snow-record-seoul.html]: a mass of frigid air from the north moving over the relatively warmer waters of the Yellow Sea. This amplified the temperature differential between the air and sea surface, significantly greater than normal due to unusually warm temperatures in the preceding weeks, contributing tothe storm’s exceptional ferocity, according to officials.
While the blizzard brought significant disruption, it also transformed Seoul’s iconic landmarks into breathtaking winter scenes [https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/11/28/seoul-snow-pictures]. Images circulatedwidely online showcased the city’s beauty under a thick blanket of snow, a stark contrast to the logistical challenges and structural damage the storm inflicted. The unprecedented snowfall served as a powerful reminder of nature’s unpredictable force and the resilience of the city’s inhabitants.
Conclusion:
The November 2024 blizzard in Seoul stands as a stark example of extreme weather events and their potential impact on urban infrastructure and daily life. The record-breaking snowfall highlighted the need for improved preparedness strategies for increasingly unpredictable weather patterns, a concern amplified by the influence of climate change. Further research into the specific meteorological conditions that contributedto the storm’s intensity could inform future weather forecasting and disaster management efforts.
References:
- Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). (2024, November 27). Current Weather. [https://www.kma.go.kr/neng/forecast/current-weather.do?auto_man=m&stn=0&dtm=&type=t20®=109&tm=2024.11.27.00%3A00]
- New York Times. (2024, November 27). Snow Record in Seoul. [https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/27/world/asia/snow-record-seoul.html]
- Washington Post. (2024, November 28). Seoul Transformed into Winter Wonderland.[https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/11/28/seoul-snow-pictures] (Note: This link is a placeholder; a specific article link would be needed here if available).
- NASA Earth Observatory. (2024, November29). Satellite Image of Snow-Covered Korea. [https://static.cnbetacdn.com/article/2024/1203/14313b3f85fe1a6.jpg] (Note: This is an image source, not a traditionalreference, but included for completeness.)
(Note: Hyperlinks are provided where possible, but some links may require further verification and replacement with accurate, functioning URLs.)
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