The monsoon season is likely to begin nationwide on Sunday, the weather agency predicted, Thursday.
According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, clear days are expected to continue through Saturday due to the influence of what is called a migrating anticyclone, or the circulation of winds around a central region of high atmospheric pressure.
As the North Pacific High moves northward starting Sunday, a stationary front crossing northern Taiwan and the southern coast of Japan is forecast also to move northward, approaching the Korean Peninsula.
Rain is expected across the country from Sunday to Tuesday as an atmospheric depression develops along this stationary front.
On Sunday, there is a high probability of rain around Jeju Island and the southern region, while the central region is likely to see rain from Monday.
Since 1973, Korea's monsoon season has begun simultaneously across the country only six times, while most of the time, rain starts from the south of the peninsula and gradually spreads northward. However, the KMA explained that the monsoon season simultaneously kicking off throughout the country is not that different from the usual phenomenon, in which the monsoon season begins with the development of low pressure triggering the stationary front to migrate northward fairly quickly.
The KMA added that there is a possibility of rain again across the country on June 29 and June 30. "It is important for people to prepare in advance for flood damage, as continuous, heavy rains are expected," said Park Joong-hwan, the agency's forecast analyst, in the briefing Thursday.
