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Korea to experience warm weather, rain in the upcoming week

Published: 16 Apr. 2026, 16:36 Updated: 16 Apr. 2026, 18:17

Children play by the Han River in Mapo District, western Seoul, on April 12. [YONHAP]

Unseasonably warm weather is expected to persist through this week, with daytime highs reaching up to 29 degrees Celsius (84 degrees Fahrenheit), according to the Korea Meteorological Administration.

Daytime highs nationwide on Thursday ranged from 16 to 29 degrees Celsius, 7.4 degrees higher than the average seasonal range. Morning lows were also above average, ranging from 5.7 to 13.8 degrees Celsius, compared to the seasonal norm of 3.4 to 10.5 degrees Celsius.

“Recently, Korea’s pressure system has taken on a ‘high in the north, low in the south’ pattern. Under this arrangement, easterly winds flow in more easily, and as the air descends after crossing the mountains, it raises temperatures in the central regions,” forecast analyst Kang Hye-mi at the Korea Meteorological Administration told the JoongAng Ilbo.

In general, high-pressure systems rotate winds clockwise, while low-pressure systems rotate them counterclockwise. Satellite imagery from the National Institute of Environmental Research on Thursday also showed easterly winds blowing into the Korean Peninsula as a “low in the south, high in the north” pressure pattern took shape.

Satellite imagery shows easterly winds blowing into the Korean Peninsula as a “low in the south, high in the north” pressure pattern. [NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH]

Next week, however, the pressure system is expected to change, bringing temperatures back down to seasonal averages. From Monday through April 26, Seoul’s morning lows are forecast to range between 8 and 12 degrees Celsius, with daytime highs between 19 and 21 degrees Celsius.

Rain is expected across the country on Friday and Saturday, with generally light to moderate precipitation. The Chungcheong region is forecast to receive less than 5 millimeters (0.19 inches). North Jeolla may see between 5 and 30 millimeters. Heavier rainfall is expected in the southeast, with Busan, Ulsan and South Gyeongsang likely to receive 10 to 40 millimeters. South Jeolla is forecast to see between 20 and 60 millimeters of rain.

The heaviest rainfall is expected in Jeju, with up to 120 millimeters in mid-mountain areas and more than 150 millimeters in mountainous regions. Other parts of the island, excluding the northern area, are forecast to receive 30 to 100 millimeters of rain.

Strong winds are also forecast, exceeding 70 kilometers per hour (43 miles per hour) and over 90 kilometers per hour in mountainous areas from Thursday. At wind speeds of around 70 kilometers per hour, small branches can break, and it becomes difficult for people to walk against the wind.

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 HEO JEONG-WON [[email protected]]