Rain, cooler-than-usual temperatures forecast for Children's Day

Korea will see cloudy skies and intermittent rain on Monday, which falls on both Children’s Day and Buddha’s Birthday this year.

People walk with umbrellas at a crosswalk in front of Seoul City Hall in Jung District, central Seoul, on May 1. [NEWS1]

Korea will see cloudy skies and intermittent rain on Monday, which falls on both Children’s Day and Buddha’s Birthday this year. Temperatures will remain 3 degrees Celsius (5.4 degrees Fahrenheit) below seasonal averages, with cool mornings and evenings and mild daytime conditions.

A low-level jet stream at 1.5 kilometers (0.9 miles) above the surface is currently passing over the country, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) on Sunday.

The stream has brought very strong winds to areas including the capital region, Gangwon, North Chungcheong and the northern and southern coastal parts of North Gyeongsang.

The low-level jet stream carries large amounts of moisture and heat and blows rapidly in the lower layers of the atmosphere.

The KMA issued a high wind advisory for the eastern coast of Gangwon and will expand the advisory to the eastern coast of northern North Gyeongsang from 2 p.m.

The agency said strong winds with instantaneous speeds exceeding 20 meters per second (45 miles per hour) per second will blow in the affected areas, while winds of 15 meters per second or higher will hit parts of the capital region, Gangwon, the Chungcheong region and coastal North Gyeongsang. It urged caution to prevent damage to outdoor structures.

Daytime highs on Sunday will range from 17 to 23 degrees, with many inland areas reaching 20 degrees or higher. But rain on Monday will likely lower temperatures again, falling briefly over the capital region during the day on Monday and spreading to other areas from the afternoon through the night.

Rain will fall intermittently on Tuesday over the southern regions and Jeju starting in the early morning, with some showers possible in the central regions by the afternoon.

People walk with umbrellas near Coex in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, on May 1. [NEWS1]

The expected rainfall for Monday and Tuesday is less than 5 millimeters (0.2 inches) in the capital region, Gangwon and Chungcheong; 5 to 10 millimeters in North Gyeongsang; and 5 to 20 millimeters in Jeolla, South Gyeongsang and Jeju.

Morning lows on Monday will range from 5 to 13 degrees, while daytime highs will stay between 16 and 21 degrees, roughly 3 to 4 degrees lower than average.

The morning low will be 9 degrees and the daytime high 18 degrees in Seoul.

Most areas in central Korea will not exceed 20 degrees. Tuesday will bring similar temperatures, though daytime highs in the central regions will rise by about 2 degrees compared to the day before.

"Wide temperature fluctuations and strong winds will continue for now," the KMA said. "We advise caution to avoid fire and wildfires during outdoor activities and urge people to manage their health and property carefully."

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff. BY JEONG EUN-HYE [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]