Korean Peninsula Flooded by a Month's Worth of Rain in One Week

By Eric Leister, Meteorologist

July 16, 2013; 8:00PM,EDT

 

 

 

The first half of the month had yielded periods of flooding rainfall to much of the Korean Peninsula, and more is on the way.
The combination of a slow-moving frontal boundary and tropical moisture has led to rainfall nearly every day of July across the region.
Seoul, the capital city of South Korea, has reported rainfall on all but three days of the month. Rainfall has totaled 17.02 inches so far this month, 250% percent of normal.
Around 20 inches of rain has been reported in Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, also more than the monthly average.
This extended period of rain has led to flooding and mudslides that have claimed the lives of several people in South Korea.
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The latest round of heavy rainfall swept seven construction workers into the raging flood waters of the Han River. At least one of the men died while the others are still missing.
Unfortunately, more heavy rains are expected as the last bit of moisture from former Typhoon Soulik interacts with a frontal boundary across North and South Korea.
The heaviest rainfall is currently falling across North Korea but will shift into northern South Korea later Tuesday night into Wednesday before diminishing.
This will not be the end of the heavy rain threat as Tropical Depression 08W, currently to the east of the Philippines, will track northward and interact with the frontal boundary during the second half of the week.
This round of heavy rain will likely lead to additional life-threatening flooding across the region.