Typhoon Jongdari expected to make landfall in Korea on Wednesday

Typhoon Jongdari, after a shift in its projected trajectory, could make landfall on Korea's southwest coast early Wednesday, the country's state weather agency said.

An official from Jeonju weather agency monitors Typhoon Jongdari's projected path in Jeonju, North Jeolla, on Monday. The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) predicts that the typhoon will make landfall somewhere near Gunsan, North Jeolla, at 3 a.m. on Wednesday. [NEWS1]

Typhoon Jongdari, after a shift in its projected trajectory, could make landfall on Korea's southwest coast early Wednesday, the country's state weather agency said.

The typhoon — which developed approximately 290 kilometers (180 miles) southwest of Okinawa, Japan, around 3 a.m. on Monday — is currently tracking northward toward Korea.

The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) forecasts that Typhoon Jongdari will pass about 120 kilometers southwest of Seogwipo, Jeju Island, on Tuesday night. It will then weaken into a tropic depression before making landfall near Gunsan, North Jeolla, at around 3 a.m. on Wednesday and dissipating near Chuncheon, Gangwon, at 3 p.m.

The storm is forecast to be the first typhoon to impact the country this year.

As of 3 p.m. on Monday, Typhoon Jongdari — named after the Korean word for skylark and chosen by North Korea's weather agency — was located 200 kilometers south of Okinawa. The storm has a central pressure of 996 hectopascals (hPa), with maximum sustained winds of 68 kilometers per hour and a wind radius of 240 kilometers.

As the typhoon brings atmospheric moisture vapor, many areas across the country are expected to experience rain showers through Wednesday. Jeolla, Gyeongsang, and Jeju Island are forecast to receive up to 80 millimeters of rainfall, with the mountainous areas of Jeju potentially seeing up to 100 millimeters.

In preparation for potential damage, the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province activated the Level 1 operation of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters on Monday.

Access to all coastal areas is restricted, and trails — including Jeju Olle Trail — are closed.

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo expressed concern on Monday over the potential damage the typhoon could cause and urged local governments to prepare thoroughly.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs also held an emergency meeting to discuss response measures. The ministry inspected reservoirs and drainage systems and advised close monitoring for potential damage.

Typhoons have been slow to approach the Korean Peninsula this summer due to a persistent heat wave gripping the nation. Initially, Typhoon Jongdari was expected to remain only a tropical cyclone.

A typhoon is a type of tropical cyclone — a rapidly rotating storm that forms over tropical oceans and can vary in speed, size and intensity, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

When the maximum sustained wind speed exceeds 116 kilometers per hour, the storm is classified as a hurricane, typhoon or tropical cyclone, according to the WMO. However, in Korea and Japan, a tropical cyclone is called a typhoon when its maximum sustained wind speed exceeds 61.2 kilometers per hour.

BY WOO JI-WON [woo.jiwon@joongang.co.kr]