"They Said the Monsoon Was Over, but It's Raining Again"... Monsoon Returns to Gwangju and South Jeolla Province

After the Announcement of the "End of the Monsoon," a Heatwave Followed
Citizens Express Inconvenience as They Carry Umbrellas Again
Over 130 mm of Rain in Two Days in Yeosu, Gangjin, and Other Areas
Korea Meteorological Administration: "Intermittent Rain Expected Through the 16th"

"They said it was the monsoon season, but then came the heatwave. Now, just as we got used to the heat, the monsoon is back."

As monsoon rains return to Gwangju and South Jeolla Province, citizens who had been preparing for the heatwave following the announcement of the "end of the monsoon" earlier this month are once again carrying umbrellas. While some people welcomed the brief respite from the heat, many expressed confusion over the weather pattern that differed from previous forecasts.

On the 24th of last month, citizens in Chipyeong-dong, Seo-gu, Gwangju, were walking with umbrellas in the monsoon rain. Photo by Yonhap News

The Korea Meteorological Administration previously announced on July 1 that the monsoon season in Gwangju and South Jeolla Province had effectively ended due to the expansion of the North Pacific High.

However, starting on July 13, rain began to fall again in Gwangju and South Jeolla Province. According to the Gwangju Regional Meteorological Administration, as of 6 a.m. on July 14, rainfall totals over the past two days included 137 mm in Sori-do, Yeosu, 131 mm in Seongjeon, Gangjin, 104 mm in Naju, and 50.2 mm in Gwangju. In addition, 50 to 100 mm of rain fell along the southern coast, including Jangheung, Haenam, and Wando.

Although all heavy rain warnings issued for the 19 cities and counties in Gwangju and South Jeolla Province have been lifted, the Korea Meteorological Administration has forecast that intermittent rain may continue through July 16 due to the influence of a stationary front.

After the announcement of the "end of the monsoon," Gwangju and South Jeolla Province experienced a heatwave. Citizens adjusted their daily routines to the summer weather, running fans and air conditioners more frequently and making vacation plans as daytime highs hovered around 35 degrees Celsius.

When the monsoon rains returned, online communities were filled with reactions such as, "They said the monsoon was over, but it's raining again," and "I was preparing for my vacation, but now the monsoon is back." Other posts included, "I even cleaned the air conditioner filter, but now I have to close the windows again," and "It's better than the heatwave, but I have to carry an umbrella again."

The Korea Meteorological Administration explained, "The monsoon situation is fluid, depending on the position of the stationary front and the strength of the high-pressure system," and urged the public to continue checking future weather forecasts.