The advice to buy an umbrella today has hit close to home. Today (the 4th), skies across the country will remain partly cloudy with autumn weather, but rain will begin in the southern regions and Jeju starting tonight, and tomorrow (the 5th) the entire country will see rain. After the rain stops, full-fledged winter temperatures will take over the weekend.
Morning lows are forecasted at 8 degrees Celsius in Seoul and Daejeon, 7 degrees in Daegu, 9 degrees in Busan, and 14 degrees in Jeju. Daytime highs will be similar to yesterday at 17 degrees in Seoul, Daejeon, and Busan, 16 degrees in Gwangju and Daegu, and 17 degrees in Jeju. While the morning commute will be chilly, a mild autumn weather will continue during the day, with virtually no chance of precipitation in the central regions during the day (0% chance of precipitation in Seoul).
The rain will start from the south. In Jeju, the probability of precipitation will rise to 30–50% from the afternoon with light rain beginning, while Gwangju will experience a drizzle during the day. Southern coastal areas like Busan will see the probability of precipitation exceed 90% overnight. The Seoul metropolitan area can avoid the rain until tonight, but travelers or commuters heading south will need an umbrella starting this afternoon.
Tomorrow, most of the country will get rain. The probability of precipitation is 98% in Daejeon, 99% in Gwangju, Daegu, Busan, and Jeju, and 73% in Seoul, bringing significant amounts of rain mainly to the southern regions. As winds will also pick up before and after the rain, caution is required for flooded and congested areas during the morning commute, and drivers should prepare for hydroplaning.
The day after tomorrow (the 6th), the country will clear up again, but cold air following the rain will significantly drag down temperatures. Seoul's daytime high will drop to 13 degrees Celsius, nearly 4 degrees lower than today, and by Saturday (the 7th), Seoul's morning temperature will plunge to minus 1 degree. Busan's weekend morning low will also drop to around 3 degrees. In just a day or two, we are shifting not from autumn, but straight into winter temperatures.
The phrase that spring and autumn have disappeared has become a cliché. We are facing a rapid temperature drop that requires switching from autumn wardrobes to winter clothes in just a few days. This is a time when management of respiratory illnesses for the elderly and children, as well as preparations to prevent damage to greenhouse horticulture and crops over the weekend, are necessary. The temperature and precipitation data were compiled by cross-referencing international observation and forecast data (Apple Weather, as of 7 a.m. on the 4th).
