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Expected weekend rains across Korea may shorten cherry blossom viewing periods

Published: 02 Apr. 2026, 17:11

A pedestrian carrying an umbrella walks across a street in Pohang, North Gyeongsang, on March 31. [NEWS1]

Cherry blossoms have reached full bloom across much of the country, but rain and strong winds forecast for the weekend may shorten the peak viewing period, especially in Jeju and southern regions.

“Rain is expected across most parts of the country from Friday night through daytime on Saturday,” said Lee Chang-jae, a senior official at the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), during a regular briefing on Thursday. “As a low-pressure system passes over the southern sea, precipitation will be heavier in southern areas and lighter toward the north.”

Rain is expected to begin in Jeju and the Jeolla region on Friday evening before expanding nationwide on Saturday. It is forecast to gradually stop during the daytime on Saturday.

Jeju is expected to see heavy rainfall — exceeding 30 millimeters (1.18 inches) per hour in mountainous areas — from Friday night through Saturday morning. Rainfall may reach levels that trigger heavy rain advisories. Southern regions are also expected to experience rainfall of 10 to 20 millimeters per hour.

Total precipitation could reach up to 150 millimeters in Jeju and 80 millimeters in southern regions. Strong winds are also expected in Jeju and along the southern coast.

Authorities have advised travelers to check flight schedules in advance. Seoul is forecast to receive between 5 and 20 millimeters of rain.

A pedestrian carrying an umbrella is seen in Gwangju on March 18. [YONHAP]

Temperatures, which have climbed above 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit) through Friday, are expected to drop to seasonal averages after the rain ends on Saturday.

In Seoul, daytime highs over the weekend are forecast to stay around 17 to 18 degrees Celsius. This is typical for spring, however, large day-night temperature swings — exceeding 15 degrees Celsius in inland areas — may require caution.

Cherry blossoms have already reached peak bloom across much of the country. Southern regions saw full bloom starting late last month, and on Wednesday, peak bloom was confirmed along Yeouido’s Yunjungno, according to KMA’s seasonal observations.

However, with strong rain and winds expected in southern regions over the weekend and another round of rain forecast for central regions from Sunday night through Monday morning, the peak bloom period may be shorter than in previous years.

“Heavy rain is expected, particularly in southern regions and Jeju, which could affect cherry blossom outings,” said Woo Jin-kyu, a KMA official. “Strong winds accompanying the rain may cause petals to fall, especially in areas where blossoms have been in full bloom for three to four days.”

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]]