Heat Wave to Follow Heavy Rain
By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter
Dog days are likely to come again after the heavy rains are gone.
The nation has been hit with downpours since Tuesday after a tropical low pressure system from Typhoon Morakot approached the Korean Peninsula, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration.
Central parts of the peninsula had heavy rainfall, with Dongducheon receiving more than 355 millimeters, Ganghwa 297, and Seoul 190. Heavy rain alerts were issued in Seoul, Incheon, and Gyeonggi and Gangwon provinces.
After the rain passes, the weather agency said that hot and sultry weather will return starting Thursday, the day of "malbok," the last of the three hottest periods of the summer in the lunar calendar.
"On Thursday and Friday after the rain, the weather will be clear nationwide and heat will grip the country, with Seoul's midday highs going up to 32 degrees Celsius," a weatherman said.
The heavy rain has disrupted traffic, with the Dongbu Expressway in Seoul inundated and closed Wednesday morning, troubling many commuters. Jamsu Bridge over the Han River was also closed.
About 10 domestic flights were grounded, while ferries connecting Incheon and nearby islets on nine routes were cancelled.