"How Could This Happen"... Jamsil Stadium Suddenly Hit by 'Water Bomb'

Sudden Heavy Rain Near Baseball Stadium One Hour Before Game
Localized Downpours Increase Alongside Rising Summer Heatwaves

With about an hour remaining before the game, a 'sudden heavy rain' poured down at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul, leading to the cancellation of the baseball game scheduled for the 13th. There had been no rain forecast for Songpa-gu, Seoul, on that day.

Around 5:25 PM that day, the weather near Jamsil Stadium suddenly turned cloudy, followed by a heavy downpour. The field became muddy due to the rainwater, and large puddles even formed in some areas.

Jamsil Baseball Stadium bleachers flooded due to sudden heavy rain [Image source=Online community capture]

The stands were not spared either. The front row of the orange cheering seats was almost submerged in water. Some fans took photos and videos of the waterlogged stadium before the game and shared them on social networking services (SNS).

Netizens who saw the photos reacted with disbelief, saying things like, "There was no forecast for rain, so how could this happen just an hour before the game?", "It looks like you could swim there," "I've never seen a baseball stadium flooded like this," and "Other places have no rain at all, but only the stadium got drenched?"

The match between the Doosan Bears and the Lotte Giants in the 2024 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League was scheduled to take place at Jamsil Stadium at 6:30 PM that day. However, as the stadium was in disarray, the game was ultimately canceled. The match will be rescheduled later.

There was no rain forecast for Songpa-gu, where Jamsil Stadium is located, and while heavy rain poured over the stadium, other areas were reportedly sunny. This means that rain clouds formed only near the stadium.

Other areas are sunny, but only our neighborhood faces heavy rain... Increasing localized heavy rain

In summer, it is common for strong showers to fall only in specific areas. This is called 'localized heavy rain.'

Localized heavy rain cloud captured last month in Wonju, Gangwon-do [Image source=Online community capture]

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, localized heavy rain occurs when the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere suddenly increases as the temperature rises, causing it to cluster and pour down repeatedly onto the ground. Especially due to global warming, the air surrounding the Korean Peninsula has changed compared to before, leading to a gradual increase in localized heavy rain.

On the 10th of last month, a large localized heavy rain was detected in Wonju, Gangwon Province. Rain clouds formed only near an apartment complex across from Wonju Sports Complex, causing a heavy downpour, while other areas remained unaffected.