Heavy rain, strong winds set to sweep Korea on Sunday
Downpours of up to 80 millimeters (3.15 inches), thunderstorms and strong gusts are forecast through Monday, with the heaviest rain expected in the Seoul area Sunday afternoon.
People walk under umbrellas in central Seoul on Oct. 18.YONHAP
Heavy autumn rain, thunderstorms and gusty winds are forecast across Korea on Sunday as a low-pressure trough moves through the country. The greater Seoul area is expected to see heavy downpours from midday to late afternoon, with hourly precipitation reaching 20 to 30 millimeters (0.78 to 1.18 inches).
Rain that began on Jeju Island on Sunday spread to central Korea and the southwestern Jeolla region in the morning and is expected to reach most of the country in the afternoon, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration.
Rainfall through Monday could reach 80 millimeters in the greater Seoul area. Besides Seoul, the Chungcheong and Jeolla regions and mountainous regions on Jeju Island are also likely to receive 30 to 80 millimeters of rainfall through Monday.
The forecast calls for 20 to 70 millimeters in inland and mountainous Gangwon, 10 to 60 millimeters in the Gyeongsang region and 5 to 20 millimeters along Gangwon’s coastal area.
The heaviest rain is expected between noon and 6 p.m. Sunday in the greater Seoul area, Daejeon, Sejong and South Chungcheong. North Chungcheong and North Jeolla will see their most intense downpours from late afternoon into the night, while Jeonnam-Gwangju and the Gyeongsang region will face the heaviest rain from late Sunday night through early Monday.
Rain is expected to end across most of central Korea by Sunday night, but it will continue into Monday morning in southern regions and until midday Monday on Jeju Island.
Strong winds are also forecast for Jeju Island. The island's mountainous areas and Jeju City's mid-elevation areas remain under strong wind advisories, as gusts of at least 20 meters (65.6 feet) per second, or 25 meters per second in the mountains, are expected through early Monday.
Strong wind advisories are issued when gusts of at least 20 meters per second are forecast, or 25 meters per second in mountainous areas.
Trees in central Seoul turn shades of red as autumn foliage reaches the city on Oct. 17.NEWS1
The advisories could expand from the western coast of South Chungcheong and the Jeolla coastline to the greater Seoul area, Gangwon's mountainous areas and coastal regions, according to the state weather agency. Gusts of around 15 meters per second are expected across most other parts of the country.
"Fallen leaves could clog drains and cause flooding in low-lying areas," the weather authority warned. "Please avoid riverside walking paths and underpasses."
Sunday's daytime highs will range from 20 to 26 degrees Celsius (68 to 78.8 degrees Fahrenheit), above the seasonal average of 19 to 23 degrees Celsius.
Temperatures will dip slightly after the rain clears. Monday's morning lows will range from 7 to 19 degrees Celsius, while daytime highs will reach 19 to 24 degrees Celsius, a return to seasonal norms.
Rain will return Tuesday to Jeonnam-Gwangju, Jeju Island, North Jeolla and the Gyeongsang region. Showers will persist in South Gyeongsang and Jeju Island through early Wednesday.
Temperatures will begin to fall Thursday as cold air moves in from the northwest. Morning lows from Wednesday through Friday will range from 1 to 16 degrees Celsius, near or slightly below the seasonal average of 4 to 14 degrees Celsius. Some inland areas could see temperature swings of more than 10 degrees Celsius between day and night.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
