South Korea braces for heavy monsoon rain and extreme heat as weekend dries up

The Korea Meteorological Administration warned that central and southern regions will receive intense monsoon rain through July 10, with some locations forecast to see up to 200 mm of precipitation and hourly rates as high as 80 mm. Heavy showers have already fallen in the Seoul metropolitan area, Gangwon, and parts of Jeolla and Gyeongsang provinces, raising concern over rising water levels in rivers that flow across the North Korean border.

After the rain subsides, a double high‑pressure system over the North Pacific and the Tibetan Plateau will usher a heatwave. Forecasts call for nighttime lows around 21‑25 °C and daytime highs reaching 36‑37 °C across much of the country, extending the current heat‑wave alert from the south to the whole nation. The weather bureau also expects another rain episode around July 15‑16 as the monsoon front moves south again.

Residents are urged to stay alert for flash flooding in low‑lying areas and to take precautions against the upcoming scorching temperatures.