Localized Downpour in South Korean City Captures Online Attention

The localized downpour recently observed in Wonju, Gangwon Province, has also occurred in central Seoul. This photo, capturing heavy rainfall in downtown Seoul on August 9, 2021, won the grand prize in the 2022 Weather and Climate Photo and Video Contest.

SEOUL, Jul. 12 (Korea Bizwire) – A photograph depicting an intense, localized rainstorm over a small area of the city of Wonju has gone viral on South Korean online communities, sparking discussions about unusual weather phenomena. 

The image, shared on the anonymous workplace community “Blind” on July 11, shows a deluge of rain seemingly isolated to a specific neighborhood across from the Wonju Sports Complex in Myeongnyun-dong, Wonju.

While the authenticity of the photo couldn’t be independently verified, the Korea Meteorological Administration confirmed that a rain cloud capable of producing up to 70 millimeters of rainfall per hour had developed northeast of the sports complex around 5 p.m. the previous day. 

Local residents corroborated the occurrence of the sudden downpour. A cafe owner near the sports complex recalled, “I remember it rained heavily for about 30 minutes starting at 5 p.m.” A real estate agent in the area added, “The rain was so intense that I had to delay my commute home until after 6 p.m.”

An employee at the Myeongnyun 2-dong Administrative Welfare Center vividly described the scene: “It was as if a hole had opened up in the sky. The rain was so heavy that windshield wipers couldn’t keep up, and cars on the six-lane road had to slow down significantly.”

While such localized downpours are not extremely rare, they can be difficult to predict precisely. The meteorological conditions leading to these events involve cold, dry air in the upper atmosphere combined with warm, moist air near the ground, creating atmospheric instability. 

The Korea Meteorological Administration forecasts the possibility of similar localized showers, particularly in inland and mountainous areas, through the weekend. They predict rainfall amounts between 5 to 40 millimeters, with the potential for hail in some regions, including inland and mountainous areas of Gangwon Province and North Gyeongsang Province.

Image credit: The Korea Meteorological Administration, Yonhap / photonews@koreabizwire.com