Typhoon Tapah likely to bring heavy rain over weekend

The expected path of Typhoon Tapah. / Captured from Korea Meteorological Administration website

By Kim Rahn

Another typhoon is expected to affect the country over the weekend, with strong winds and heavy rainfall forecast.

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), Friday, Typhoon Tapah ― the 17th to affect the peninsula this season ― was moving toward the Korean Peninsula from an area about 380 kilometer south-southwest of Okinawa, Japan, as of 3 a.m

The typhoon has a central pressure of 992 hectopascals and a maximum wind speed of 20 meters a second near its center.

The KMA forecasts the typhoon will strengthen as it travels toward the country. Tapah is expected to arrive in waters 310 kilometers northwest of Okinawa at 9 p.m. Saturday, 220 kilometers south of Jeju Island at 9 a.m. Sunday, and 50 kilometers south-southeast of Busan at 9 p.m. the same day.

The typhoon may grow to mid-sized, with a maximum wind speed of 32 meters a second, the KMA said. It is expected to pass through the East Sea between Sunday evening and Monday.

"Rain started in Jeju late Friday evening and other parts of the country are likely to have rain from Saturday," a KMA official said. "Torrential rain is forecast as the path of the typhoon is close to the peninsula. Waves in Jeju and southern regions of the east coast will also be very high, so residents of houses along the shore need to brace themselves for possible flooding."

Through Monday, more than 500 millimeters of rain is expected in some mountainous parts of Jeju; up to 300 millimeters in eastern Gangwon, South and North Gyeongsang and South Jeolla provinces; and between 30 and 80 millimeters in southern Gyeonggi, North Chungcheong and western Gangwon provinces. Other parts of the country may have less than 40 millimeters.

The typhoon is named after a type of fish.

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