Typhoon Krathon to potentially bring heavy rain to Korea later this week

The Korea Meteorological Administration on Sunday forecasted that the typhoon, also known as Typhoon No. 18, could shift course between Monday and Tuesday, moving from Taiwan toward waters south of Jeju Island.

People take photos near the ocean in Seogwipo, Jeju Island, as large waves crash ahead of Typhoon Jongdari's approach on Aug. 20. [YONHAP]

Typhoon Krathon — currently expected to head toward Taiwan — may also approach the Korean Peninsula.

The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) on Sunday forecasted that the typhoon, also known as Typhoon No. 18, could shift course between Monday and Tuesday, moving from Taiwan toward waters south of Jeju Island. If the typhoon continues northward, it could impact Korea later in the week, possibly around National Foundation Day, a public holiday celebrating the founding of the Korean nation.

A tropical depression developed into Krathon northeast of the Philippines around 9 a.m. Saturday, the KMA said.

The typhoon is intensifying as it moves through the warm waters north of the Philippines, where sea temperatures are about 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit).

As of 9 a.m. Sunday, the storm was located 570 kilometers (354 miles) northeast of Manila. At that time, its maximum wind speed was 29 meters per second (65 miles per hour), classified as “normal,” but it is expected to strengthen to “strong” before making landfall in Taiwan on Monday. A “strong” typhoon has wind speeds between 33 and 44 meters per second, which can derail trains, according to the KMA.

Global weather agencies, such as the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, have outlined several possible paths for the typhoon, ranging from landfall in southern China to crossing over the Korean Peninsula and exiting through the East Sea.

The Korea Meteorological Administration's anticipated route of Typhoon Krathon as of 10:30 a.m. Sunday [KOREA METEOROLOGICAL ADMINISTRATION]

However, the KMA predicts the typhoon will likely shift northeast after reaching Taiwan, nearing the waters south of Jeju Island by around 9 a.m. on Friday.

Under such a scenario, southern regions and the east coast of Korea could experience heavy rain from Thursday to Saturday due to the warm, moist air brought by the typhoon. However, the exact strength of the typhoon when it approaches Korea is still uncertain due to several influencing factors.

“The heat capacity of the waters south of Jeju Island is lower than that of the northern Philippines, but the typhoon could strengthen if it stays over open water without hitting land, or it could weaken depending on the condition of the upper-level trough,” a KMA official said, adding that the updated expected path of the typhoon will be announced later.

Typically, typhoons affect Korea between August and September, with fewer occurring in October. However, rising ocean temperatures may increase the likelihood of October typhoons.

“If the waters near the Korean Peninsula remain warm through October, typhoons could approach with sustained intensity, fueled by the energy from the warm ocean,” an official from weather forecasting company K Weather said.

Meanwhile, in the short term, weather in Korea is expected to remain clear through Monday, though temperatures will vary widely between morning and night, according to KMA's forecast. Gyeongsang and Jeju Island could see cloudy skies on Monday.

On Tuesday, much of the country is expected to be cloudy, with rain in some areas, including the greater Seoul area, parts of Gangwon, Chungcheong, Jeolla and Jeju Island.

BY JEONG EUN-HYE, CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]