Water rushes through the sluice gates of Hwahongmun in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, on Monday as monsoon rains sweep the region. [Yonhap]
Water rushes through the sluice gates of Hwahongmun in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, on Monday as monsoon rains sweep the region. [Yonhap]

Most of the country will see monsoon rain Tuesday as a stationary front moves through, with the heaviest precipitation expected to concentrate in Greater Seoul and Gangwon Province.

Despite the rain, inland temperatures are forecast to climb above 30 degrees Celsius during the day, and high humidity will make conditions feel oppressively hot.

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration on Monday, Tuesday will begin under the influence of a stationary front moving from the West Sea toward North Korea before conditions gradually shift as the country comes under the edge of the North Pacific high-pressure system.

Rain is expected to begin across most of the country from the early hours through the morning. From the afternoon into the night, atmospheric instability will bring squalls accompanied by thunder and lightning to many inland areas nationwide.

Forecast rainfall for Tuesday is 20 to 60 millimeters for Greater Seoul — including Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province — as well as inland and mountainous areas of Gangwon Province and the Chungcheong region. Northern Gyeonggi Province, the five West Sea islands and the northern inland and mountainous areas of Gangwon Province could see more than 80 millimeters where rain is most concentrated. The South Jeolla and Gyeongsang inland regions and Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province are forecast to receive 5 to 40 millimeters, while Jeju Island is expected to see around 5 millimeters. Afternoon showers are projected to bring an additional 5 to 40 millimeters nationwide, with up to 60 millimeters possible in Gangwon's inland and mountainous areas.

Particularly intense rain of 20 to 30 millimeters per hour is expected to fall on Greater Seoul and the northern inland and mountainous areas of Gangwon Province between 6 a.m. and noon Tuesday. Commuters are urged to take extra care on the roads.

The KMA warned that heavy rain over North Korea could cause water levels to rise sharply in rivers and streams near northern Gyeonggi and Gangwon provinces — including the Imjin, Hantan and North Han rivers — and urged the public to remain alert to safety hazards.

Despite the rain, temperatures are expected to stay near or slightly above seasonal norms for now. Heat advisories are currently in effect for parts of southeastern Gyeonggi Province, southern inland Gangwon Province, central North Chungcheong Province, southeastern South Jeolla Province, the Gyeongsang region and parts of Jeju Island, with daytime highs forecast to exceed 30 C across most inland areas of the country.

High humidity will push the heat index to around 31 C in general and above 33 C in areas under heat advisories, making conditions very uncomfortable. Tropical nights are possible in some areas. Tuesday's morning lows are forecast at 21 to 24 C, with afternoon highs ranging from 28 to 35 C.

Starting Tuesday night, strong winds of 30 to 60 kilometers per hour and waves of 1.5 to 3.5 meters are expected to develop first over the distant waters of the West Sea and the seas south of Jeju Island, with gale warnings likely to be issued for waters off Incheon and Gyeonggi Province and the northern coast of South Chungcheong Province by early Wednesday. Dense sea fog is forecast across all coastal waters, and thunderstorms with gusts are possible, particularly over the West Sea.

Rainfall zones, timing and amounts are subject to significant volatility depending on the position of the stationary front and pressure troughs. Visibility may drop sharply and roads will be slippery in many areas — drivers should reduce speed and check real-time weather radar and the latest forecasts regularly.

※ This article was produced using AI technology based on data from the Korea Meteorological Administration.


silverpaper@heraldcorp.com