Pedestrians cross the street on a rainy day in Seoul on July 21.YONHAP
Erratic monsoon rains are expected to continue across central Korea through the weekend before the rainy season comes to an end nationwide between Sunday and Monday, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA).
“The rainy season ended on Jeju Island on Sunday as the island came under the influence of the North Pacific High,” Lee Gwang-yeon, a forecast analyst at the KMA, said during a regular weather briefing on Thursday. “We expect the rainy season to end in central and southern regions between Sunday and Monday.”
The stationary front, commonly known as the monsoon front, continues to affect central Korea, according to the KMA.
On Friday and Saturday, periods of heavier and lighter monsoon rain are expected. The narrow, intense rain bands could also lead to sharp differences in rainfall totals across regions.
The stationary front is forecast to move south on Sunday to bring monsoon rain not only to central Korea but also to North Jeolla and North Gyeongsang.
The Seoul metropolitan area and Gangwon are expected to continue seeing monsoon rain through Monday.
People walk with umbrellas through heavy monsoon rain in Daegu on July 17.YONHAP
Afterward, the North Pacific High is expected to push the stationary front northward and establish a stable high-pressure pattern and bring the rainy season to an end. A prolonged period of extreme heat is expected to follow.
The KMA cautioned, however, that localized torrential downpours remain possible even after the rainy season ends and urged the public to prepare for both heat-related risks and heavy rain.
“As abundant moisture continues to flow in and temperatures rise in the lower atmosphere, strong atmospheric instability could trigger extremely intense localized rainfall,” Lee said. “People should remain vigilant for possible torrential rain even after the end of the monsoon season.”
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.
