400mm Rain Over 3 Days in Central Region... 20% Above Average

Cheongyang Jeongsan-myeon 570mm, Gongju Geumheung-dong 511mm

On the 11th, heavy monsoon rain poured down, causing the water level of Jungnangcheon River to rise as seen from Ihwa Bridge in Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

Since the start of the rainy season this summer, more than 400mm of rain has poured nationwide. The rainfall during this year's rainy season ranks as the fourth highest in the past decade for the central region.

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration on the 16th, from June 25th, when the rainy season began, until July 14th, a period of 20 days, the central region received an average of 424.1mm, the southern region an average of 422.9mm, and Jeju an average of 306.9mm of rainfall.

The rainfall amounts in the central and southern regions are 10-20% higher than the average rainy season rainfall (1991-2020 average) of 378.3mm and 341.1mm, respectively. Jeju's rainfall nearly reached the average of 348.1mm.

The average duration of the rainy season is 31.5 days in the central region, 31.4 days in the southern region, and 32.4 days in Jeju, but this year, the rainfall over just 20 days has already exceeded the average rainy season rainfall.

Cumulative rainfall at major locations (June 25 - July 15) includes ▲Hallasan Samgakbong in Jeju 1131.0mm ▲Jeongsan-myeon, Cheongyang-gun, Chungnam 913.5mm ▲Isan-myeon, Yeongju-si, Gyeongbuk 904.5mm ▲Dongno-myeon, Mungyeong-si, Gyeongbuk 864.5mm ▲Sokrisan-myeon, Boeun-gun, Chungbuk 862.0mm ▲Jangsu-gun, Jeonbuk 819.5mm ▲Seongsamjae, Gurye-gun, Jeonnam 820.5mm ▲Gunsan-si, Jeonbuk 790.1mm ▲Gwangju 747.7mm, among others.

Among the flood-affected areas, Mungyeong received 365.6mm of rain over an average rainy season period of 31.3 days in the past 30 years, and Cheongju received 344.7mm over an average rainy season period of 31.0 days. From the heavy rain starting on the 13th until 2 p.m. on this day, Dongno-myeon in Mungyeong recorded 485.5mm, and Sangdang-gu in Cheongju recorded 474.0mm of rainfall. These amounts are 32.8% and 37.5% higher than the average rainy season rainfall, respectively, in just over three days.

Jeongsan-myeon in Cheongyang recorded a staggering 570mm, Geumheung-dong in Gongju 511mm, Hamra-myeon in Iksan 499.5mm, Saerom-dong in Sejong 486mm, and Naeheung-dong in Gunsan 480.3mm.

The problem is that more rain is expected. As of 1 p.m. on this day, heavy rain warnings were issued for the southern inland and mountainous areas of Gangwon, the Chungcheong region, the southern region, and Jeju Island, with some areas in the Jeonnam and Gyeongnam regions experiencing very heavy rain of 20 to 50mm per hour.

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration's medium-term forecast, rain will continue in most parts of the country until the 19th. From the 20th to 21st, except for Jeju, conditions will ease, but rain will return nationwide from the 22nd to 24th, with rain expected mainly in the central region on the 25th and 26th.

On the 13th, Eocheongdo in Gunsan, Jeonbuk, recorded 48mm per hour, Imjado in Sinan 63mm per hour on the 14th, Seongsamjae in Gurye 57mm per hour the previous day, and Jangsan-do in Sinan 55mm per hour on this day.

The Korea Meteorological Administration classifies rainfall exceeding 30mm per hour as "very heavy rain," and rainfall surpassing this level has occurred. Rainfall of 50mm or more in one hour or 90mm or more in three hours is called an "extreme heavy rain."

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