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Rain forecast to hit through Saturday with typhoons expected

Published: 18 Sep. 2025, 16:13 Updated: 18 Sep. 2025, 19:55

People walk with umbrellas in the rain at an intersection in Buk District, Gwangju, on Sept. 15. [YONHAP]

Another round of rain is forecast across Korea starting Friday afternoon and lasting through Saturday, with the heaviest rainfall expected early Saturday morning.

“Rain will begin Friday afternoon as a low-pressure system approaches from the west and will spread nationwide by night," said Lee Chang-jae, a forecaster at the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), at a regular forecast briefing on Thursday.

"It will start to taper off on Saturday morning, though the eastern coast of Gangwon will see showers through Sunday morning due to continued easterly winds."

The most intense rainfall is expected between early morning and midmorning Saturday, with up to 30 millimeters (1.2 inches) of rain per hour likely along the southern coast of South Chungcheong and North Jeolla provinces.

Most of the country will see between 10 and 60 millimeters of accumulated rainfall. Gangwon's Gangneung, where some reservoirs were recently replenished thanks to earlier rain, could receive an additional 10 to 40 millimeters through Sunday morning.

Cosmos flowers are in bloom at the Sandong Bridge riverside park in Buk District, Gwangju, on Sept. 18. [YONHAP]

Cool autumn weather is also expected to continue for now.

“Cool, dry air has settled over the country, and with easterly winds flowing in, the cooler conditions will persist,” Lee said. “Daytime highs next week will hover around 26 degrees Celsius [79 degrees Fahrenheit] in central regions and around 27 degrees Celsius in southern regions, which is near seasonal averages.”

A satellite image from Sept. 18 shows tropical depressions No. 37 to 39 and their projected paths. [KOREA METEROLOGICAL ADMINISTRATION]

Three tropical depressions have formed south of the Korean Peninsula in the northwest Pacific and are expected to strengthen into typhoons within 24 hours. They will be named Typhoon Mitag No. 17, Ragasa No. 18 and Neoguri No. 19 in order of formation.

Of the three tropical depressions, two are forecast to take relatively weak tracks toward Japan and Hong Kong.

The 38th tropical depression is projected to intensify into a Category 3 typhoon and move westward north of the Philippines. Its future path remains uncertain and could either continue westward or turn north.

The KMA said additional autumn typhoons may still develop this season.

“Sea surface temperatures remain high, creating favorable conditions for tropical disturbances,” Lee said. “Depending on whether these disturbances form and how they move, precipitation patterns in the latter half of the midterm forecast period could vary significantly.”

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.
BY CHON KWON-PIL [[email protected]]