Seoul issues weather advisory as yellow dust sweeps Korean Peninsula

Yellow dust from eastern Mongolia spiked fine dust levels across the Korean Peninsula Sunday, prompting Seoul to issue a fine dust advisory. Temperatures are expected to plummet after the dust clears.

Fine dust blankets downtown Seoul on Sunday as yellow dust arrives in Korea for the first time this year. The yellow dust was brought by northwesterlies from eastern Mongolia, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration. [YONHAP]

The yellow dust that traveled from eastern Mongolia spiked fine dust levels across the Korean Peninsula on Sunday. Temperatures nationwide are expected to plummet after the dust clears.

The yellow dust was brought by cold northwesterlies, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), marking the first time the nation has experienced yellow dust this year.

Central regions of the country were impacted by an influx of sand and pollutants from overseas Sunday afternoon.

Fine dust levels in the greater Seoul area, including Gyeonggi and Incheon, remained within the “very bad” level, the highest of the four-tier system, as of 2 p.m. Sunday.

The fine dust concentration in Gyeonggi rose as high as 239 micrograms per cubic meter, and that in Incheon to 309 micrograms per cubic meter as of 2 p.m. the same day, according to Air Korea, an air quality tracking website run by the Korea Environment Corporation.

Seoul issued its fine dust advisory as of 1 p.m. after the average concentration of fine dust or PM 10 — particles smaller than 10 micrometers in diameter — remained over 150 micrograms per cubic meter for two hours.

Southern regions of Incheon and parts of Gyeonggi were also issued such advisories on Sunday.

The KMA advised residents to be aware of their health conditions as the yellow dust was expected to descend across the peninsula.

Fine dust concentrations in the Chungcheong region, Sejong, Daejeon and North Jeolla additionally remained within the “very bad” range as of 2 p.m. Sunday, according to Air Korea. The yellow dust is forecast to fade away on Sunday night.

Mercury is expected to plummet after the dust clears due to the cold northwesterlies.

On Monday, morning lows will drop by around five to 10 degrees Celsius (41 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit) compared to those of Sunday.

Morning lows in the greater Seoul area may drop to as low as minus four degrees Celsius, a huge drop from Sunday’s 6.6 degrees Celsius. Inland areas are forecast to experience subzero temperatures on Monday, with morning lows in Gangwon’s Cherwon County dropping to minus five degrees Celsius and those in Jecheon, North Chungcheong, to minus 4 degrees.

Cold wave advisories are anticipated in many parts of the country due to the dropping temperatures, including Gyeonggi’s Seongnam and Pocheon, Gangwon’s Taebaek and Chuncheon, Daejeon and Daegu as of 9 p.m. on Sunday.

Rain showers are expected to arrive in the central regions on Tuesday afternoon, including the greater Seoul area.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]