Typhoon to bring rain to east coast but may not relieve southern region's drought
Typhoon Chan-hom is not expected to affect Korea directly, but winds generated by the weakened low-pressure system are expected to bring rain mainly to the east coast.
Typhoon Chan-hom as seen from Japan's Himawari satelliteCIRA/NOAA
Rain is expected along the east coast on Wednesday, as Typhoon Chan-hom moves toward the East Sea, though it remains uncertain whether the rainfall will be enough to ease the drought in southern regions.
Chan-hom, the 15th typhoon this season, was about 370 kilometers (229.9 miles) east-northeast of Tokyo and moving west-southwest at 40 kilometers per hour (24.9 miles per hour) as of 9 a.m. on Tuesday, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said.
The typhoon had a central pressure of 985 hectopascals and maximum winds of 24 meters per second (53.7 miles per hour), putting it at the KMA’s weakest Category 1 level.
It is expected to make landfall near Tokyo on Tuesday afternoon before crossing the Japanese archipelago from east to west. The typhoon is then forecast to cross the East Sea on Wednesday, after which it will continue westward as a tropical depression before becoming an extratropical cyclone about 180 kilometers south-southeast of Dokdo islets and effectively dissipating.
The typhoon is not expected to affect Korea directly. However, easterly winds generated by the weakened low-pressure system are expected to bring rain mainly to the country’s east coast beginning on Wednesday.
Rain is forecast to fall over Busan, Ulsan and South Gyeongsang on Thursday. Atmospheric instability could also bring showers to some inland areas.
Typhoon Chan-hom's projected path is shown on a weather map.KOREA METEOROLOGICAL ADMINISTRATION
The amount of rain and where it falls could vary depending on how much moisture the system carries toward Korea.
For now, it appears unlikely that there will be enough rain to relieve the drought in southern regions. The east coast is forecast to receive 20 to 60 millimeters (0.79 to 2.4 inches) of rain over Wednesday and Thursday. South Gyeongsang is expected to receive 10 to 40 millimeters.
“If the low-pressure system, weakened from the typhoon, brings in some moisture, it could intensify the rain,” KMA forecast analyst Gong Sang-min said. “But if the typhoon breaks apart as it passes over high mountains inland in Japan, including Mount Fuji, there is also a possibility that it will have almost no effect [on Korea].”
Dry cracks are seen across Waji reservoir in Miryang, South Gyeongsang, on Aug. 11 as a prolonged heat and drought grip the area.NEWS1
Cool northeasterly winds continued to bring early autumn-like weather mainly to Korea’s eastern regions on Tuesday. Daytime temperatures in the Yeongdong area of Gangwon — east of the Taebaek mountain range — are forecast to remain around 26 to 27 degrees Celsius (78.8 to 80.6 degrees Fahrenheit).
Seoul is expected to see daytime temperatures rise to 34 degrees Celsius, as strong sunshine combines with easterly winds that warm as they cross the Baekdudaegan mountain range.
“With heat wave advisories in effect mainly in the Seoul metropolitan area and southern regions, maximum apparent temperatures will rise to around 33 degrees Celsius for the time being,” the KMA said. “As there is a risk of heat-related illness, people should drink plenty of water and avoid strenuous outdoor activities when possible.”
BY CHON KWON-PIL [lee.taehee2@joongang.co.kr]
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
