Heavy rain is forecast to return tonight to Seoul and surrounding regions after the strongest rainfall of the year hit the area last night [1].
These recurring storms increase the risk of flash flooding and infrastructure failure in the metropolitan area. The saturation of the ground from previous precipitation makes the region more vulnerable to landslides, and urban drainage overflows during the next wave of rain.
Rainfall peaked between 4:00 and 5:00 KST during the previous night's storm [1]. In Paju Jeongseong-myeon, rainfall reached 197.5 mm [1]. Seoul's Gangseo-gu recorded 185.5 mm [1], while Cheorwon-gun in Gangwon Province saw 171.1 mm [1].
The intensity of the rain triggered the first heavy-rain emergency text message issued in Seoul this year [1]. Reports from YTN indicated that hourly rainfall in Seoul's Gangseo-gu and Eunpyeong-gu exceeded 50 mm, prompting the emergency alert [1]. Specifically, Seodaemun-gu experienced 65 mm of rain per hour [1].
Other regions also faced extreme conditions. Gyeongbuk Gimcheon recorded 72 mm per hour [1], and Gumi saw 65.2 mm per hour [1]. A reporter for YTN said that a significant amount of rain fell across the central region overnight [1].
Meteorological conditions are expected to bring another bout of intense rain tonight [1]. Forecasters said the heaviest precipitation will likely concentrate over the Chungcheong and Gangwon regions [1, 2]. Residents in these areas are advised to monitor weather updates and prepare for potential flooding as the system moves through the peninsula [2].
“the strongest rainfall of the year hit the area last night”
The concentration of high-volume rainfall over a short window indicates a pattern of intense, localized precipitation. When hourly rates exceed 50 mm, urban drainage systems often reach capacity, leading to rapid surface flooding. The forecast for a second wave of rain suggests a stagnant or slow-moving weather system, which compounds the risk by preventing the soil from draining between events.
