Ongoing Heavy Rainfall to Continue Across the Country
Torrential downpours are expected to persist through Saturday, July 19, with the central regions facing the most severe conditions as the monsoon season has not yet concluded. The capital region is anticipated to receive over 200 millimeters of cumulative rainfall by Wednesday, with localized downpours reaching more than 80 millimeters per hour. These intense weather patterns are a result of complex atmospheric interactions that have been intensifying in recent days.
According to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), a mass of cold air descending from the northwest is colliding with warm, moist southwesterly winds coming from the edge of the North Pacific High over the Yellow Sea. This interaction has created a large rain cloud system that is expected to bring widespread rainfall across the country through the end of the week. The KMA has issued heavy rain advisories for several areas, and these warnings are likely to expand to most of the country by Wednesday.
The forecast for July 16–17 indicates significant rainfall in various regions. In the capital area and the Chungcheong region, between 50 to 200 millimeters of rain is expected. Gangwon will see 50 to 150 millimeters, while North Jeolla is predicted to receive 30 to 150 millimeters. Gwangju and South Jeolla could get 20 to 80 millimeters, and North Gyeongsang is expected to receive 10 to 100 millimeters. Busan, Ulsan, and South Gyeongsang will see 30 to 80 millimeters, and Jeju Island is forecast to receive 5 to 60 millimeters.
Rain-related damage has already been reported, highlighting the severity of the situation. On the afternoon of July 15, a 10-meter retaining wall collapsed near the Gajang Interchange in Osan, Gyeonggi, crushing two passing vehicles. Fire officials confirmed that one of the cars was completely buried, resulting in the death of a male driver in his 40s. The driver of the other vehicle, a man in his 50s, managed to escape as only part of his car was covered.
In Seoul, 29 streams and four riverside parking lots—including areas around Cheonggyecheon and Anyangcheon—were closed on the evening of July 15 due to flood warnings. In South Chungcheong, where rainfall reached up to 131 millimeters, authorities received reports of six flooded roads, three inundated homes, and several downed trees. In response, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety has activated Level 1 of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters.
Meteorologists note that the rain clouds are being fueled by warm sea temperatures and humid air, which are providing a steady supply of water vapor. As the cloud system continues to grow in size, the intensity of sudden, short-term downpours is also expected to increase. The heaviest rainfall will remain concentrated on the central region, where the monsoon is still ongoing. However, due to the massive scale of the low-pressure system, rain bands are spreading southeast, bringing precipitation even to southern regions and Jeju Island, where the monsoon has officially ended.
Central Korea is expected to receive the most rain on July 16, while southern regions and Jeju are forecast to be hit hardest on July 17. By region, peak rainfall intensity is expected as follows: Southern Gyeonggi could see 50 to 80 millimeters of rain per hour through the night of July 17, while Seoul, Incheon, and northern Gyeonggi are expected to receive 30 to 50 millimeters per hour. South Chungcheong may see 50 to 80 millimeters per hour through early July 17, and North Chungcheong up to 50 millimeters per hour through early July 18. Gangwon is forecast to receive 30 to 50 millimeters per hour through the night of July 17. The Honam region could see 30 to 50 millimeters per hour through the night of July 18. In South and North Gyeongsang, rain of 30 to 50 millimeters per hour is expected through the early and late hours of July 18, respectively. On Jeju Island, rainfall may reach 30 millimeters per hour between the morning and afternoon of July 18.
