Yellow Dust from China Arrives Tomorrow... "Dense Yellow Dust Warning for the Seoul Metropolitan Area"

Yellow Dust Observed Nationwide from Morning of 16th
Dense Yellow Dust in West... Weakening from 17th
Average Yellow Dust Days in Last 5 Years: 2.8 Days

On February 1st, the sky viewed from Namsan in Seoul appeared hazy due to yellow dust accompanied by fine dust. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] On the 16th and 17th, yellow dust originating from inland China will flow into the entire country. It is expected to be particularly dense in the Seoul metropolitan area, so outdoor activities should be avoided.

On the 15th, the Korea Meteorological Administration and the National Institute of Environmental Research forecasted that starting from the early morning on the 16th in the West Sea Five Islands, yellow dust will be observed in most areas nationwide, especially in the western regions of Korea.

Dense yellow dust is expected to be observed in the Seoul metropolitan area and western regions, which are close to the yellow dust inflow path, so special attention to health management is necessary.

The Korea Meteorological Administration and the National Institute of Environmental Research explained, "If additional yellow dust originates from the northeastern region of China from the afternoon to night of the 15th, the concentration of yellow dust affecting Korea may become denser."

From the 17th, yellow dust will weaken nationwide, but depending on the pressure system flow around the Korean Peninsula, it may continue weakly afterward. The ultrafine dust that has persisted since the 8th is expected to mostly clear from tonight due to the relatively clean southwest airflow.

The source of this yellow dust is near Inner Mongolia and the Gobi Desert in China. It was generated by strong winds caused by the pressure difference between a low-pressure system developed in northeastern China and a high-pressure system near Lake Baikal.

Yellow dust is created when strong winds blow over dry land where soil and sand are exposed. It floats in the air due to the upward airflow of the low-pressure system and moves along. It approaches following the northwesterly winds from the northwest of the Korean Peninsula.

Yellow dust is most active in spring, but recently it has also been observed in late autumn and winter. Over the past five years, the number of yellow dust observation days in Korea was 2.8 days, significantly lower than the average of 5.5 days. The reduction in yellow dust originating from the Gobi Desert and the Manchurian region of China, the main sources of yellow dust, is presumed to be a cause of the decrease in observation days.

Yellow dust is soil dust caused by strong winds and contains silicon, calcium, iron, and other elements in the soil. Fine dust refers to particles with a diameter of 10㎛ or less floating in the atmosphere. Fine dust mainly consists of sulfates, nitrates, and other components from yellow dust, sea salt, and artificial pollutants.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.