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🇰🇷 South Korea /Environment & Climate

Rain Forecast for Southern South Korea Amid Severe Drought

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Rain is forecast for the southern regions of South Korea early next week, offering potential relief from a severe drought.
  • The weather system is complex, with a low-pressure system moving from near Shanghai, but precise rainfall amounts and locations are difficult to predict.
  • While some areas may receive heavy rain, the overall impact on drought relief remains uncertain, with heat expected to return later.

South Korea's southern regions are bracing for potential rainfall early next week, a welcome forecast amid a severe drought. The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) anticipates rain starting in the western areas on August 16 and spreading nationwide by that night, driven by a low-pressure system originating near Shanghai. However, the complex atmospheric conditions make precise predictions challenging.

Areas like the southern coast and Jirisan National Park could see heavy downpours, requiring caution in mountainous regions.

— Kang Hye-miKMA weather analyst, discussing potential rainfall intensity and areas of concern.

Currently, the weather pattern involves a weakened North Pacific high-pressure system, with dry high-pressure systems to the northwest and northeast, and a low-pressure system derived from a weakened typhoon to the south. This low-pressure system is expected to draw warm, moist air northward, potentially bringing significant rain. While areas like the southern coast and Jirisan National Park could see heavy downpours, requiring caution in mountainous regions, the exact precipitation volume and distribution remain unclear.

Despite the uncertainty, forecasters believe the rain could offer some relief to drought-stricken areas, particularly in the Yeongnam region. The KMA plans to issue a more detailed forecast on August 15. This week, scattered showers are expected due to atmospheric instability, with eastern coastal areas possibly receiving 10-50mm and inland areas 5-40mm on August 13-14. Nationwide showers of 5-50mm are forecast for August 15.

The rain appears likely to offer some relief to the drought.

— Woo Jin-gyuKMA forecaster, commenting on the potential impact of the upcoming rain on drought conditions.

The recent typhoons, while not directly impacting South Korea, have disrupted the East Asian weather system, weakening the North Pacific high-pressure system that caused extreme heat. This, combined with the upcoming rain, suggests a temporary reprieve from the heatwave. However, forecasters caution that after the weather systems reorganize, heatwaves and tropical nights could return to some areas. While Seoul's maximum temperatures are expected to drop to around 30 degrees Celsius over the weekend and early next week, they may rise again afterward.

Whether the heatwave will persist or weaken due to cold air from the north after the weather systems reorganize remains to be seen.

— Woo Jin-gyuKMA forecaster, discussing the uncertainty of future temperature trends.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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