Rain Nationwide This Weekend... Heavy, Monsoon-Like Downpours Possible in the South

[Financial News] Rain is expected across the country this weekend, and a narrow, elongated rain band similar to those seen during the monsoon season may linger over the southern region, bringing heavy downpours. That is because a stationary front is expected to form around the Korean Peninsula from the 29th, as cold, dry air from the north collides with hot, humid air from the south. In particular, strong rain is likely in the southern region on the 30th.
At a regular forecast briefing on the 27th, the Korean Meteorological Administration said rain and showers will fall through the 28th under the influence of hot, humid air flowing in from the south, before shifting to more organized precipitation driven by a low-pressure system and a stationary front from the 29th.
Cold, dry air is currently positioned to the north of the country, while hot, humid air is moving in from the south along the edge of the North Pacific High. Sea surface temperatures around the southern coast are also above 29 degrees Celsius, supplying large amounts of moisture from the south.
Rain is expected mainly in the southern region on the 28th. Forecast rainfall totals are 30 to 80 mm in the Yeongnam region, 10 to 70 mm in the Honam region, and 5 to 40 mm in Jeju Province. Gangwon's east coast, where easterly winds will flow in under the influence of high pressure to the northeast, is also expected to receive 5 to 20 mm of rain.
Showers may also fall in the Capital Region and inland areas of Gangwon due to atmospheric instability. Expected rainfall in inland areas is 5 to 50 mm. The Korean Meteorological Administration said there is a possibility of localized heavy rain on the 27th and 28th, with a large amount of rain falling suddenly over a narrow area.
The rainfall pattern will change from the 29th. A low-pressure system that developed near the Shandong Peninsula is expected to move toward Korea, bringing rain nationwide. The Korean Meteorological Administration said there is a possibility of 20 to 60 mm or more of rain across the country that day.
After the low-pressure system passes, cold, dry air will move in from the northwest while warm, humid air continues to flow in from the south, increasing the likelihood of a stationary front forming. On the 30th, strong rain may fall mainly in the southern region under the influence of that front. If the rain band moves slowly and remains over one area, rainfall could become concentrated in specific locations.
Kang Hye-mi, a forecast analyst at the Korean Meteorological Administration, said, "When different air masses converge and create a struggle for dominance, a narrow, band-shaped rain zone often appears." She added, "If the stationary front does not move quickly and remains over one area, there is a risk that rainfall will concentrate in specific places."
Rain may continue in the southern region through the 31st. As the stationary front moves southward afterward, rain is expected to linger on the 1st of next month in Gwangju, the Gyeongsang region, and Jeju Province.
However, the location and amount of rainfall on the 30th and 31st remain highly uncertain. That is because the movement and weakening of Typhoon No. 18, Saudel, as well as the position and strength of the North Pacific High, could shift the front's location.
Woo Jin-kyu, a weather spokesperson at the Korean Meteorological Administration, said, "There are large forecast differences among ensemble numerical models regarding the position and strength of the North Pacific High." He added, "At present, the rainfall area on the 30th and 31st is limited to the southern region, but depending on the speed of the low-pressure system, we cannot rule out the possibility that it could expand into the central region as well."
The Korean Meteorological Administration said it does not describe this rain associated with the stationary front as an "autumn monsoon" or a "second monsoon season." It explained that rain caused by a stationary front from late August to early September is a normal weather pattern.
Temperatures are expected to gradually fall. In the southern region, temperatures will begin to drop from the 27th, and in the central region from the 29th. By early next week, daytime highs are forecast to be around 30 degrees Celsius. However, because moisture levels will be high, the perceived temperature may be higher than the actual air temperature.

[email protected] Lee Bo-mi Reporter