Monsoon expected to end as intense heat returns to Busan and Gyeongnam

(Photo courtesy of Haps Magazine Korea)

The summer monsoon season is expected to end across Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam Province, clearing the way for a prolonged period of intense heat.

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, the North Pacific high-pressure system is expanding and is likely to bring the southern region’s rainy season to an end today or tomorrow.

Jeju’s monsoon season ended earlier, on July 19.

This year’s monsoon began about a week later than usual in southern Korea, starting on June 30.

However, its expected end date is close to the seasonal average, making the overall rainy period shorter than normal.

Temperatures are expected to rise sharply once the monsoon front retreats. From late this week, the hot and humid North Pacific high is forecast to combine with the upper-level Tibetan high, trapping heat over the region and increasing the likelihood of widespread heat advisories.

The weather agency warned residents to take precautions against heat-related illnesses, particularly during the hottest parts of the day.

Despite the end of the monsoon, sudden downpours will remain possible.

Warm, moisture-heavy air could create unstable atmospheric conditions and trigger localized thunderstorms or short periods of intense rainfall.

Fleet Chinhae