Typhoon Khanun No. 6 Rapidly Advances Northward, Expected to Slow Down from Afternoon

At around 9:20 a.m. on the 10th, Typhoon Khanun, the 6th typhoon, made landfall in Geoje, Gyeongnam. In the afternoon, its direction is expected to shift from 'north' to 'north-northwest,' causing its speed to slow down further. As the typhoon moves slowly, the duration of heavy rain and strong winds in one area will lengthen, raising concerns about increased damage.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to the typhoon information released by the Korea Meteorological Administration at 10 a.m., as of 9 a.m., Khanun's central pressure and maximum wind speed are estimated at 975 hPa and 32 m/s, respectively. Although its intensity grade has dropped one level to 'medium' compared to when it was approaching South Korea, it still has the strength capable of blowing off roofs.

Currently, Khanun is moving northward at a speed of 25 km/h. By noon, it will reach a point 50 km south-southwest of Daegu, increasing its speed to 31 km/h, and by 3 p.m., when it reaches a point 60 km southeast of Cheongju, its speed will further increase to 33 km/h.

However, after that, as it changes direction to north-northwest, its speed will decrease. Typically, when a typhoon changes direction, its speed slows down because its 'momentum' disappears. In particular, Khanun is moving under its own power without any steering currents guiding it. The North Pacific High is located east of South Korea, and the jet stream, a fast upper-level wind, is passing north of South Korea, so there is no steering current for the typhoon to follow.

Because of this, when Khanun reaches a point 40 km northeast of Cheongju at 6 p.m., its speed will drop to 26 km/h, and when it is 30 km southeast of Seoul at 9 p.m., its speed will decrease to 24 km/h. Around midnight on the 11th, when it reaches a point 40 km north of Seoul, its speed is expected to slow down to 19 km/h. After entering North Korea, Khanun will maintain a speed of around 15 km/h.

As Khanun moves slowly over North Korea, it will pour heavy rain over the inter-Korean border area, potentially causing flooding in the lower reaches of shared rivers such as the Imjin River and the Hantan River.

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