| People walk under umbrellas at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, Sunday, as a heavy rain advisory was issued for the capital. Yonhap |
By Ko Dong-hwan
Heavy rain is forecast to continue drenching the entire nation on Monday, according to the weather watchdog, Sunday, with more than 100 millimeters of rainfall forecast for some regions.
According to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), torrential rain accompanied by strong wind, lightning and thunder is expected to continue in Seoul and its surrounding areas and the western parts of Gangwon Province. The rain may continue until Wednesday in some regions, but as the intensity of clashes between cold and warm air masses grows weaker, the rainfall will likely become lighter on Tuesday, the KMA added.
Other parts of the nation, including North Chungcheong Province, the Jeolla and Gyeongsang provinces and Jeju Island, are expected to have up to 150 millimeters of rain until as late as Monday afternoon.
Gwangju and other regions of South Jeolla Province are expected to see at least 200 millimeters of accumulated precipitation through Tuesday, with chances of up to 60 millimeters of rain per hour. The southern coast of South Jeolla Province and the entirety of North Jeolla Province will see less than 30 millimeters per hour of rain until Tuesday.
The KMA said that skies will remain cloudy over most parts of the country until the end of this month. The capital region, inland areas of Gangwon Province, the Chungcheong provinces, Daejeon, Sejong and Jeju Island will have chances of shower until Aug. 1.
| Military vehicles are engaged in recovery work after a landslide caused by heavy rain in Yeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, Saturday. Courtesy of 50th Infantry Division |
The latest heavy rain resulted from a warm, humid air mass that shifted toward the Korean Peninsula northbound as cool, dry air from China approached the country from the west and high-pressure air remained in the country's east over Japan.
As of Sunday afternoon, a heavy rain warning was issued for several counties in South Chungcheong Province and North Jeolla Province and Incheon's maritime Ongjin County, while a heavy rain advisory was issued for Gyeonggi Province, Gangwon Province and the Chungcheong and Jeolla provinces as well as Seoul.
The heavy rain warning is issued when precipitation is expected to reach more than 90 millimeters for three hours or 180 millimeters, for 12 hours, while the heavy rain advisory is issued when precipitation is expected to reach more than 60 millimeters for three hours or 110 millimeters, for 12 hours.
The KMA said the country also may be within the influence of Doksuri, a typhoon that developed in the eastern waters of the Philippines last Friday and started shifting northwest. Throughout its predicted course from Sunday to this week, it is expected to ram through Taiwan on July 27 and directly hit Fuzhou in China's Fujian province the next day.
The KMA said that depending on how the typhoon will develop in terms of course and strength, a maritime tropical air mass will form its edge in different locations to drop rain.
Accumulated precipitation across the country this year has been the highest since 1973, the KMA said Sunday. Between June 25 and July 22, it recorded 597.5 millimeters this year. The average figure during the same period since 1973 is 281.8.