Abnormal Climate in 2022 Summer in Korea and Asia

In the summer of 2022, record-breaking severe weather events occurred across Asia. Temperatures in Pakistan and India reached 50°C, and heat waves in China persisted along the Yangtze River basin, with some areas reaching 45°C. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, it was the first time in June that temperatures above 40°C were measured for more than two days. As well as heat-related extreme, a massive flood claimed more than 1,000 lives in Pakistan. Although heavy rainfall would be known as a typical phenomenon during each monsoon season, torrential downpour in 2022 was significantly different. On August 8–9, 2022, explosive rainfall occurred over the Seoul metropolitan area within several hours. Due to the narrow width of the precipitation system, only small areas on the Korean Peninsula were experienced intensive precipitation. Concentrated rainfall in such a narrow convection band is thought to have a different mechanism than that of the traditional rainy season. Moreover, Typhoon Hinnamnor, which directly impacted the Korean Peninsula on September 5–6, exhibited unique characteristics in its formation, development, and track. The southwest movement from the western Pacific to the coast of Taiwan, followed by subsequent re-development, were a rare phenomenon that had been difficult to observe until now. Weather extremes such as the heat waves over Asia and the torrential downpours that swept Korea and Pakistan in the summer of 2022 were indeed influenced by the changing climate. Diagnosing and understanding the impacts of climate change are essential for disaster preparedness and the public profits. This special issue, therefore, features six significant contributions that analyze the mechanism of severe weather phenomena and study its relationship with climate change. KCI Citation Count: 0