200mm Heavy Rain and 55km/h Strong Winds... 'Double Punch' Hits Central Region

[Financial News] From today until the weekend, monsoon rains will pour over the central region and Honam area. In particular, the southern part of Gyeonggi is expected to receive more than 200mm of heavy rain, requiring special caution.

As of 8 a.m. on the 16th, rain began to fall in the area around the west coast. Due to the influence of a low-pressure system approaching from the west, the rain that started in the central and Honam regions is expected to spread to Yeongnam and Jeju Island by the morning.

■ Two Days of Heavy Rain in Central and Honam Regions
Looking at the expected rainfall over the two days until the 17th, 50~150mm of rain will fall in the metropolitan area and Chungcheong region (excluding southern Chungbuk). In southern Gyeonggi, the western coast of Chungnam, northern inland Chungnam, and central and northern Chungbuk, there is a concern for heavy rain exceeding 200mm.

Inland and mountainous areas of Gangwon, southern Chungbuk will receive 50~100mm (inland areas of central and southern Gangwon more than 150mm), and Jeonbuk will see 30~100mm (western areas more than 150mm) of rain. Gwangju and Jeonnam regions are also expected to have concentrated rainfall of 20~80mm (northern coastal areas of Jeonnam more than 100mm).

Elsewhere, 30~100mm of rain is expected in northern inland Gyeongbuk, 30~80mm in Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam, 20~60mm in Jeju Island (excluding the north), and 10~60mm in Daegu, Gyeongbuk, Ulleungdo, and Dokdo, indicating significant rain across most regions.

■ Up to 50mm of Heavy Rain Per Hour
Examining the periods of concentrated rainfall by region, the metropolitan area will experience 30~50mm per hour in southern Gyeonggi between the afternoon of the 16th and the night of the 17th, and around 30mm per hour in other areas.

In Gangwon-do, from the night of the 16th to the night of the 17th, 30~50mm per hour is expected in the central and southern inland areas, and around 30mm per hour in the northern inland and mountainous areas.

In the Chungcheong region, the western coast of Chungnam is likely to receive 30~50mm per hour of strong rain from the afternoon of the 16th to the early morning of the 18th, while the rest of the region will see similar rain from the night of the 16th to the early morning of the 18th.

In the Honam region, from the early morning of the 17th to the night of the 18th, the western part of Jeonbuk will experience 30~50mm per hour, and the eastern part of Jeonbuk and northern coastal areas of Jeonnam will see around 30mm per hour of concentrated rainfall.

In the Yeongnam region, northern inland Gyeongbuk will have around 30mm per hour throughout the 17th, while Gyeongnam will see 30mm per hour from the afternoon of the 17th to the early morning of the 18th, and again 30~50mm per hour from the morning to the night of the 18th.

Jeju Island is forecasted to have around 30mm per hour of heavy rain from the morning to the afternoon of the 18th.

■ Narrow Rain Cloud Bands May Cause Large Regional Variations
The Korea Meteorological Administration explained that a narrow band of rain clouds is forming due to the intense collision between the cold and dry northwesterly airflow behind the low-pressure system and the warm and humid air flowing in from southern China. As a result, heavy rain is expected in areas where the cloud band passes.

In particular, due to the influence of warm and humid air entering along the edge of the North Pacific High, there is a high possibility of increased rainfall in the southern regions.

The narrow width of the rain cloud band is expected to cause large differences in rainfall and intensity between nearby areas. The pattern of heavy rain followed by lulls is expected to repeat, so it is important to continuously check weather radar images and the latest forecasts.

■ Strong Wind and Wave Warnings Also Advised
Along with the rain, strong winds with instantaneous speeds of 55km/h (70km/h in mountainous areas) will blow across the country, requiring special caution.

The sea conditions are also not favorable. From the afternoon of the 16th, the central western offshore sea, from the night, the sea off Chungnam and the southern western offshore sea, and from the night of the 17th, the central eastern offshore sea will experience strong winds of 30~60km/h and waves rising to 1.5~3.5m. From the afternoon of the 18th, the northern offshore sea of the southern eastern sea is also expected to become rough.

Despite the cloudy and stormy weather, temperatures are expected to remain at normal levels.

As of 8 a.m. on the 16th, the temperatures in major cities are recorded as follows: Seoul 24.4°C, Incheon 22.1°C, Daejeon 23.6°C, Gwangju 24.4°C, Daegu 23.7°C, Ulsan 24.2°C, and Busan 24.8°C. The highest daytime temperatures are expected to be around 25~30°C.

With strong localized rain, damage may occur, so special caution is needed. Relevant departments have urged thorough management of facilities and prevention of safety accidents, as heavy rain accompanied by strong winds is expected.





ahnman@fnnews.com Ahn Seunghyun Lee Changhoon Reporter