Sudden Surge of Fine Dust from China... Disappointing Sunrise After 3 Years

Hazy Sky Forecast on New Year's Day
Sunset at 5:05 PM
Sunrise at 7:26 AM

On Saturday the 31st, the last day of this year, fine dust originating from China is expected to cause fine dust concentrations in the Seoul metropolitan area, Chungcheong, Jeonbuk, and Daegu to rise to 'bad' levels. The fine dust is expected to continue until January 1st, the first day of the new year, raising concerns that a hazy sunrise may be visible in some areas.

On the 27th, when fine dust levels were classified as 'Bad,' the city center viewed from Inwangsan Mountain in Seoul appeared hazy. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

According to Air Korea of the Korea Environment Corporation, as of 11 a.m., the daily average concentration of ultrafine dust in Seoul was recorded at 43㎍/㎥ (micrograms per cubic meter, 1㎍ = one-millionth of a gram), which is considered a bad level. Gyeonggi and Incheon also recorded 51㎍/㎥ and 37㎍/㎥ respectively, indicating that high concentrations of fine dust will persist for some time, especially around the Seoul metropolitan area.

In particular, as fine dust concentrations are expected to remain high on the 31st and the first day of the new year, there is a possibility that the sunrise will be obscured by fine dust and fog in various parts of the country including the Seoul metropolitan area, Chungcheong, Jeonbuk, and Daegu.

Other regions are expected to have normal levels, but the Ministry of Environment and the National Institute of Environmental Research forecast that Gangwon Yeongseo, Daejeon, Gwangju, Ulsan, and Gyeongbuk could experience temporarily bad levels if fine dust accumulates and new fine dust inflows occur.

On January 1st, temperatures are expected to rise by about 1 to 6 degrees compared to the 31st, alleviating the cold wave. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration on the 30th, the expected morning low temperature on the 31st is between -15 and 0 degrees Celsius, and the daytime high temperature is between 1 and 8 degrees Celsius.

Sunrise events, which were suspended for the past three years due to COVID-19, will be held in most regions nationwide this year.

Meanwhile, the sunset on the 31st will begin at 5:05 p.m., and the first sunrise of the Year of the Rabbit will occur at 7:26 a.m. on Dokdo. Following that, sunrise times are Busan at 7:32 a.m., Daek at 7:36 a.m., Jeju at 7:38 a.m., Gangneung at 7:40 a.m., Gwangju at 7:41 a.m., Daejeon at 7:42 a.m., and Seoul at 7:47 a.m.

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