South Korea: autumn rain on 12-13 October, then temperatures fall 5-10 degrees
In short
Rain fell across South Korea on 12 and 13 October and was forecast to end mostly by midday on the 13th. Outlets citing the weather agency said cold air from the northwest would then bring morning lows of 5 to 14 degrees on the 14th, 5 to 10 degrees below the 13th.
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Rain was forecast across South Korea on 12 and 13 October, followed by a sharp fall in temperatures. Maeil Business, citing the weather agency on 12 October, reported that rain would begin on the 12th in Jeju and South Jeolla and spread late at night to the capital area, Chungcheong, North Jeolla and western Gyeongnam. On the 13th it would fall at times across the country and mostly stop by midday, though some places in Gyeongnam could see rain into the late afternoon. [ 8 , 9 , 17 , 18 ]
Expected rainfall for 12 to 13 October ranged widely. Maeil Business gave 5 to 50 mm for Gwangju and South Jeolla and 5 to 40 mm for the capital area and Gangwon. Asia Economy gave 10 to 50 mm for Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi on the 13th, while Newsis gave 5 to 20 mm for Seoul, Incheon and northern Gyeonggi and 5 to 40 mm for southern Gyeonggi. Newsis quoted the weather agency as saying heavy rain of 10 to 20 mm per hour with gusts and thunder was possible until midday, and advised care over facilities and safety. [ 9 , 19 , 20 ]
After the rain, cold air was forecast to move south from the northwest, lowering temperatures from the night of the 13th. Kukmin Ilbo gave the morning low on the 14th as 5 to 14 degrees, 5 to 10 degrees lower than on the 13th, with highs of 17 to 22 degrees. Seoul Shinmun said the low would be 9 degrees in Seoul and 3 degrees at Daegwallyeong and Taebaek, with a day and night difference of around 15 degrees. It forecast lows of 4 to 12 degrees on the 15th, with frost in some Gangwon mountain areas, and a rise to 7 to 15 degrees on the 16th. [ 15 , 23 ]
Maeil Business also reported gusts of around 55 km/h on the west coast and in Gangwon from the night of the 13th and in most of the country on the 14th. Winds of 30 to 60 km/h and waves of 1.5 to 4.0 m were forecast at sea. It said high tides through the 14th meant a risk of flooding in low-lying coastal areas. [ 9 ]
Forecasts made on 10 October already pointed to the chill. Yonhap and Chosun Ilbo gave mornings of 4 to 16 degrees and daytime highs of 20 to 24 degrees on 14 and 15 October, and Yonhap and Newsis listed Chuncheon at 4 degrees. Yonhap said the day and night difference would reach 10 degrees or more in inland areas. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Coverage later in the month showed more rain. Yonhap said on 18 October that the autumn rain would ease on the 19th and temperatures would fall to normal levels, with rain continuing in the south until morning. Dong-A Ilbo reported on 19 October that rain would return to the south and Jeju on the 20th and that morning lows on the 22nd would be 0 to 9 degrees. [ 32 , 38 ]
Why it matters
Forecasts warned of strong rain, gusts, high waves and low-lying coastal flooding, and of a sharp swing between day and night temperatures. The weather agency advised attention to health and to sea and coastal safety.
Key facts
- On the 13th rain was forecast across most of the country and to stop mostly by midday, though it was expected to continue until late afternoon in parts of Gyeongnam. [ 8 , 9 , 17 , 18 , 20 ]
- Maeil Business reported that rain would start on the 12th in Jeju and South Jeolla and spread late that night to the capital area, Chungcheong, North Jeolla and western Gyeongnam. [ 9 ]
- After the rain, cold air moving south from the northwest was forecast to lower temperatures from the night of the 13th. [ 9 , 15 , 17 , 19 , 20 ]
- Morning lows on the 14th were forecast at 5 to 14 degrees, 5 to 10 degrees lower than on the 13th, with daytime highs of 17 to 22 degrees. [ 15 , 16 , 23 ]
- Heavy rain of 10 to 20 mm per hour with gusts and thunder was forecast in places on the 13th. [ 16 , 20 ]
- Gusts of around 55 km/h were forecast on the west coast and in Gangwon from the night of the 13th and in most of the country on the 14th. [ 9 ]
- Seoul Shinmun said the morning low on the 15th would be 4 to 12 degrees, with frost in some Gangwon mountain areas. [ 23 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Rain was forecast across most of South Korea on 13 October, mostly ending by midday, with rain lasting into the late afternoon in parts of Gyeongnam. [ 8 , 9 , 17 , 18 , 20 ]
- Cold air from the northwest was forecast to cut temperatures from the night of 13 October after the rain. [ 9 , 15 , 17 , 19 , 20 ]
- The morning temperature on 14 October was forecast to be 5 to 10 degrees lower than on the 13th. [ 15 , 16 , 23 ]
- Forecasters cited the weather agency in warning of gusts, thunder and slippery roads in rain areas on the 13th. [ 9 , 20 ]
Still unclear
- Expected rainfall for Seoul and Gyeonggi differed between outlets. Asia Economy gave 10 to 50 mm for Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi, while Newsis gave 5 to 20 mm for Seoul, Incheon and northern Gyeonggi and 5 to 40 mm for southern Gyeonggi.
- Seoul's morning low on 14 October was given differently. The 10 October Yonhap weekly forecast listed Seoul at 11 degrees, while Seoul Shinmun on the 13th said 9 degrees.
- Seoul Shinmun said Seoul's high reached 30.1 degrees on the previous day, the hottest October weather in 119 years, with October records broken in many places. Only one outlet reported this and other documents do not mention it.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- On 10 October Yonhap published the forecast for 12 to 16 October, with morning lows down to 4 degrees on the 14th and 15th. [ 1 ]
- On 12 October Maeil Business reported the weather agency's forecast of rain from the 12th, mostly ending by midday on the 13th, followed by a temperature fall. [ 9 ]
- On 13 October Kukmin Ilbo said rain would mostly stop by midday and the 14th morning low would be 5 to 14 degrees. [ 15 ]
- On 13 October Newsis reported the weather agency's warning of heavy rain with gusts and thunder until midday. [ 20 ]
- On 13 October Seoul Shinmun said temperatures would fall 5 to 10 degrees in a day, with a Seoul morning low of 9 degrees on the 14th. [ 23 ]
- On 18 October Yonhap said the rain would ease on the 19th and temperatures would fall to normal levels. [ 32 ]
- On 19 October Dong-A Ilbo said rain would return to the south and Jeju on the 20th, followed by a sharp temperature fall. [ 38 ]