Typhoon Champi turns toward Jeju as Category 5 storm, heavy rain possible

Typhoon Champi has reached the highest storm intensity level and is forecast to turn northeast off Taiwan before passing south of Jeju Island this weekend, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) on Wednesday.

Champi — No. 30 typhoon of the season — was moving west-northwest at 28 kilometers per hour (17 miles per hour) on Wednesday, about 970 kilometers (600 miles) south-southeast of Okinawa, Japan.

The storm had a central pressure of 900 hectopascals and maximum sustained winds of 59 meters per second (193 feet per second), placing it at Category 5, the highest intensity level, which applies to storms with winds of at least 54 meters per second.

Champi has grown into a formidable storm, with a 510-kilometer wind radius and an eye clearly visible in satellite imagery.

The typhoon is expected to turn northeast off Taiwan gradually. By Monday, its center is forecast to approach within 280 kilometers south of Seogwipo, Jeju Island, before weakening to Category 1 and making landfall on Japan's Kyushu island. A Category 1 storm has maximum wind speeds of between 17 and 24 meters per second.

For now, Champi is highly unlikely to make landfall in mainland Korea. Sea surface temperatures have dropped below 26 degrees Celsius (78.8 degrees Fahrenheit) since mid-October, which has deprived the typhoon of the warm water that fuels its strength. Cold air over the Korean Peninsula has also created a barrier that is expected to keep the storm from moving north.

Temperatures are forecast to plunge from Wednesday afternoon as cold air moves in from the northwest. Morning temperatures in the capital are expected to fall to 5 degrees Celsius on Thursday, while strong winds could push apparent temperatures to the freezing point in parts of the greater Seoul area.

The KMA has issued cold wave advisories for parts of Gyeonggi, Gangwon and Chungcheong, as well as several southern regions. The advisories are set to take effect at 9 p.m. Wednesday.

Although the typhoon is unlikely to strike Korea directly, the moisture it carries could bring heavy rainfall to Jeju and the southern coast over the weekend.

“Rain is expected across the Chungcheong region, southern Korea and Jeju Island from Sunday through Monday morning,” the KMA said in its medium-range forecast. “The areas and timing of rainfall could change depending on the typhoon's track and intensity.”

“The late-season typhoon Champi is likely to veer toward Japan along a barrier of cold air,” said Kang Nam-young, a geography professor at Kyungpook National University. “Even without a direct hit, the storm could bring heavy downpours to Jeju and Korea's southern coast because of the vast amount of moisture it carries. Precautions should be taken in advance.”

BY CHON KWON-PIL [[email protected]]