Korea faces further inundation as monsoon season continues apace
Forecasters warn of intense downpours, flooding and traffic disruptions across central Korea through the weekend as the monsoon front stalls over the peninsula.
Pedestrians walk in the rain in Gwanghwamun Square in Jongno District, central Seoul, on July 20.YONHAP
The stationary front responsible for the monsoon season is expected to move across the Korean Peninsula through the weekend and bring periods of heavy rain to much of the country.
Forecasters warned that rainfall could reach up to 50 millimeters (2 inches) per hour in the Seoul metropolitan area throughout Tuesday morning.
Monsoon rain fell mainly across central Korea on Monday as the stationary front remained over the region, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). Heavy rain advisories were briefly issued during the morning for parts of the Gyeonggi, Chungcheong and Gangwon provinces. Heat wave advisories remained in effect in southern regions that saw relatively little rainfall.
North Gyeongsang is expected to receive heavy showers of 20 to 30 millimeters per hour from late afternoon into the evening on Monday. Rain advisories were issued for Uiseong County, Yeongju and Bonghwa County in the province.
The stationary front is forecast to remain over central Korea on Tuesday and is expected to bring another round of monsoon rain, particularly to the Seoul metropolitan area.
The heaviest rainfall is expected in the early hours of Tuesday, when parts of Seoul, the surrounding metropolitan area and Gangwon could see intense downpours of 30 to 50 millimeters per hour.
Traffic disruptions are possible as the heaviest rain is forecast to coincide with the morning rush hour. Some parts of the greater Seoul area could see more than 120 millimeters of rain in a single day on Tuesday.
A map released by the Korea Meteorological Administration shows the likelihood of heavy rain hazards on July 21 and 22. Areas marked in red face the highest risk.KOREA METEOROLOGICAL ADMINISTRATION
"Some areas will see heavy rainfall accompanied by strong winds, thunder and lightning the day after tomorrow," a KMA official said. "Intense rainfall over a short period can sharply reduce visibility and leave roads slippery or flooded, so motorists should exercise extra caution."
This year's monsoon got off to a late start, but it has more than made up for lost time. As of Monday, Seoul had already recorded 15 rainy days this month, nearly matching the average of 15.9 days for July.
In recent weeks, increasingly intense rainbands have produced extreme downpours in parts of the country. Because the bands have been relatively narrow, areas outside their path have instead experienced severe heat.
A satellite image shows an atmospheric river, a concentrated corridor of moisture, stretching from Southeast Asia through southern China to the Korean Peninsula.KOREA METEOROLOGICAL ADMINISTRATION
The alternating pattern of rain and dry spells is expected to continue throughout the week as the stationary front continues to receive a steady supply of moisture while shifting north and south across the peninsula. The monsoon rain is likely to continue through Saturday in central regions, where the front is expected to linger.
"The stationary front over the Korean Peninsula will continue to be energized by moisture transported from tropical waters through an atmospheric river to bring repeated bouts of heavy rain followed by breaks," said Kim Seung-bae, the director of the Korea Natural Disaster Association and a former KMA spokesperson. "There is a possibility that the monsoon season could come to an end after Saturday as the stationary front moves farther north, but we'll need to monitor the situation a little longer."
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.
