This paper has presented not only the spatial coverage change of climate extreme events in summer and winter seasons during the period of 2000-2017, but also their future projections in 2021-2100, South Korea through analysis of a Combined Climate Extreme Index (CCEI). The CCEI quantifies the spatial coverage of climate extreme events based on a set of five indicators. MK (Modified Korean)-PRISM (Parameter-elevation Regression on Independent Slopes Model)v1.2 (1×1km) and RCP scenario data (1×1km) were applied to CCEI. Results indicated that in average, 21.7% of the areas in the summer and 23.6% in the winter experienced climate extremes from 2000 to 2017 regardless of types of climate extreme events in South Korea. The summer of 2003 and 2009 was relatively cool and humid, while the summer of 2014 and 2015 was cool and dry and the summer of 2016 was warm and dry. The extreme events with much above normal maximum and minimum temperature during the study period were detected but not much below normal maximum and minimum temperature after 2015. For RCP2.6 and RCP8.5 scenarios, there were statistically significant trends with spatial coverage expansion of climate extreme events in the future. It might be concluded that climate extreme events in the summer and winter seasons were affected simultaneously by two or more indicators than a single indicator in South Korea.

The purpose of this study is to characterize the synoptic climatic patterns of extreme humansensible temperature (HST) events in Jeju Island, Korea under a subtropical climate condition as well as to examine their teleconnections with the large-scale climate systems. According to the extreme case analysis of the recent 30 years (1988-2017) data sets, the maximum daily average HST in the coastal areas of Jeju Island can rise up to about 40°C in mid-summer and even up to about 48°C during mid-daytime. These extreme HST events occur when the expansion of subtropical Pacific high pressure toward East Asia as well as the poleward shift of the Changma front provides hot and humid conditions over Jeju Island surrounded by seas, particularly in La Niña years with a positive (+) Arctic Oscillation mode. In contrast, the intensified western high and eastern low dipole pressure pattern in mid-winter, which accompanies the downward shear of upper tropospheric cold air toward the southern region of the Korean Peninsula under a negative (-) Arctic Oscillation mode, provides favorable conditions for frequent low HST extreme events. These conditions can lower daily average HST as much as -10°C in the coastal region of Jeju Island, and lower nighttime HST by -25°C on the peak areas of Mt. Halla due to wind chill effects. These findings will be used as a base for establishing prediction and warming systems of extreme HST events on Jeju Island, which is needed to mitigate the damage to the lives of Jeju residents and tourists under climate change.