By Lee Hyo-sik
This year’s rainy season begins today across the nation, which is about 10 days earlier than in previous years, as the high pressure system developing in the North Pacific Ocean moves northward ahead of usual.
A seasonal rain front normally affects the peninsula between the middle of June and the middle of July, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), Thursday.
On Friday, heavy rain is forecast for Jeju Island and the southern part of the country, with some areas receiving up to 20 millimeters of rain per hour. The rain will likely continue through Saturday.
The seasonal rain front will then move south of Jeju Island. But it will advance northward again in the middle of next week, affecting the entire Korean Peninsula.
``The rainy season will start sooner than in the past. Since it starts sooner, it may also come to an end earlier. But during this year’s rainy season, heavy rain will fall often across the country. People should be extra cautious for their personal safety and property,’’ KMA spokesman Kim Seung-bae said.
For more detailed and up-to-date information, visit the KMA website (web.kma.go.kr/eng).