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[Weather] Rain across the country, weather gets a bit chilly

2025/04/04 17:00

Today is "Cheongmyeong" on the traditional calendar, which means "the sky becomes clear." Just like the solar term, clear skies appeared across the country with large daily temperature gaps. These gaps will be much smaller in Seoul, with the capital starting off at 8 degrees Celsius and rising to only 12 degrees tomorrow. However, other areas will continue to have temperature swings of around 10 degrees. Meanwhile, the atmosphere is staying dry. A dry weather advisory is in place for Gyeongsangbuk-do Province with strong winds. Please take extra precautions not to cause wildfires. Tomorrow morning, Daejeon and Daegu will start off at 7 degrees, Busan at 9 degrees. Highs will move up to 15 degrees in Daejeon and Busan, 17 degrees in Gyeongju and Jeju. It will rain tomorrow across the country and will get chilly as this rain falls. That's all for Korea. Here are the weather conditions around the world.

[Weather] Cheongmyeong today, pleasant weather nationwide but dusty in western regions

2025/04/04 10:00

Today is Cheongmyeong, the 5th of six spring terms, and just like the name suggests, we're in for a clear and sunny spring day—but with a big temperature swing. A light jacket will definitely come in handy! However, the air isn't the best for us in the western regions again. The capital area should be dealing with high levels of ultrafine dust all day. Afternoon highs will be similar to slightly higher today at 16 degrees in the capital; Daegu and Gwangju see highs of 18 degrees under sunny skies. However, dry weather alerts are still in place for parts of inland Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, so please be careful with anything that could spark a fire. Tomorrow is Arbor Day, and we're expecting 5 to 20 millimeters of rain across the country, starting at dawn. That will be a great help for the dry weather and dusty skies! Temperatures will go down below norms with rain tomorrow, but sunshine and warmth return on Sunday.

[Weather] Daily temperature gaps widen, ultra-fine dust tomorrow

2025/04/03 20:00

The daytime temperature in Seoul rose up to 17 degrees Celsius today, feeling like typical spring weather. Tomorrow, it will feel a lot like today with Seoul rising up to 16 degrees. However, the temperature gaps between highs and lows are more than 10 degrees. Please dress in layers when you go outside to keep yourself warm. Meanwhile, the air has been dusty across the country. The ultra-fine dust in Seoul, southern parts of Gyeonggi-do Province, and Chungcheongnam-do Province will be at "bad" levels tomorrow. Tomorrow morning, Seoul, Daejeon and Busan will start off at 6 degrees, Gwangju and Daegu at 5 degrees. Highs will move up to 18 degrees in Chuncheon, Daejeon, Gwangju and Daegu, 15 degrees in Busan. Rain is forecast all over the country on Saturday. That's all for Korea. Here are the weather conditions around the world.

[Weather] Wide temperature gaps across the country, ultra-fine dust tomorrow

2025/04/03 17:00

Today, the temperatures rose rapidly under the warm sunlight. The daytime temperature in Seoul reached 17 degrees Celsius today. Tomorrow, it will be as warm as today with Seoul rising up to 16 degrees. However, there's a more than 10 degree temperature gap between the daily highs and lows. Please take care of your health in this weather. With typical warm spring weather, fine dust has covered the skies. The ultra-fine dust in Seoul, southern parts of Gyeonggi-do Province, and Chungcheongnam-do Province will stay at "bad" levels tomorrow. Tomorrow morning, Seoul, Daejeon and Busan will start off at 6 degrees, Chuncheon and Gyeongju at 2 degrees. Highs will move up to 18 degrees in Chuncheon, Daejeon, Gwangju and Daegu. There is more rain forecast across the country on Saturday. That's all for Korea. Here are the weather conditions around the world.

[Weather] Big temperature swings continue, poor air quality in west

2025/04/03 10:00

Make sure to dress in layers today to handle the big temperature swings. This morning, some inland areas are seeing frost, making for a chilly start, but temperatures will rise rapidly by the afternoon. But again, the air won't be great in parts of the west. Here in Seoul, we may also see worsening fine dust levels in the morning and at night. Meanwhile, dryness has improved, but dry advisories remain in place for inland Gyeongsangbuk-do Province and southern Jeju. With windy conditions, even a small spark can quickly spread, so please be cautious. Most regions will be under partly sunny skies with warmer highs than yesterday in central parts at 17 degrees in Seoul and Daejeon, but notice cooler air in the southern areas. Jeju will be much breezier at 13 degrees. Looking ahead, this Saturday, most of the country will see rain. However, morning and afternoon temperatures will continue to differ by 10 to 15 degrees Celsius, so we will only need jackets for the mornings and evenings, but be sure to keep them handy.

[Weather] Rain will stop tonight, dusty air continues tomorrow

2025/04/02 20:00

Rain clouds from the West Sea have been gradually covering large parts of the country. Rain started in the Seoul metropolitan area and the west coast of Chungcheongnam-do Province during the day today, and spread to the central parts in the late afternoon. With only 5 to 10 millimeters of rain, most of it will stop tonight. This spring rain is not enough to clear the stuffy air. Seoul, Incheon, southern parts of Gyeonggi-do Province, Chungcheongnam-do Province, and Jeollabuk-do Province will have "bad" levels of ultra-fine dust tomorrow. Tomorrow morning will start mild with Seoul, Gwangju and Daegu at 6 degrees Celsius, and Daejeon at 5 degrees. Daily highs will move up to 14 to 17 degrees all over the country. There is more rain forecast across the country on Saturday. That's all for Korea. Here are the weather conditions around the world.

[Weather] Rain will mostly stop tonight, ultra-fine dust continues tomorrow

2025/04/02 17:00

From the afternoon, light spring rain has been falling across the country. Starting with the Seoul metropolitan area and the west coast of Chungcheongnam-do Province during the day, it has spread to other parts of Chungcheong-do provinces, Chungcheong-do 지역과 강원도 서부, 전라북도 북부 지역으로 확대되었습니다. But it's mostly going to stop tonight. This spring rain is not enough to relieve the dusty air. Seoul, Incheon, southern parts of Gyeonggi-do Province, Chungcheongnam-do Province and Jeollabuk-do Province will have "bad" levels of ultra-fine dust tomorrow. Tomorrow morning will be mild with Seoul, Gwangju and Daegu at 6 degrees Celsius. Daily highs will move up to 14 to 17 degrees all over the country. Typical spring conditions with huge daily temperature gaps will continue for the time being. That's all for Korea. Here are the weather conditions around the world.

[Weather] Welcome spring rain from this afternoon, stuffy air in west

2025/04/02 10:00

The dry weather continues across much of the country, with fire danger still high due to gusty winds. But today, we have some much-needed spring rain on the way! Rain will start around midday in the Seoul area, spreading to the rest of the country, possibly reaching Gyeongsang-do Provinces tonight. It won't be a lot of rain just about 5 to 10 millimeters, so fire safety is still key! The western regions may feel stuffy today, as ultrafine dust levels remain high. Keep a face mask handy. Skies will start off clear but turn cloudy as the day goes on. Afternoon highs will be slightly lower today at 15 degrees Celsius in the capital; Daejeon and Daegu will see highs of 18 degrees this afternoon. Today's rain may linger in Gangwon-do's eastern region until tomorrow morning. This Saturday marks Arbor Day and another round of nationwide rain is expected, so keep that in mind for any outdoor plans! Meanwhile, expect big temperature swings between morning and afternoon and dress accordingly!

[Weather] Spring rain tomorrow nationwide with ultra-fine dust

2025/04/01 20:00

Even though it felt chilly this morning, it turned warm during the day today, causing large gaps between the daily highs and lows. Tomorrow morning will start at 5 degrees Celsius in Seoul, and will rise to 16 degrees during the day. Please dress in layers to avoid catching a cold. As the temperatures get warmer, dusty air has also returned. Fine dust is building up due to the influx of dust from overseas overnight. Ultra-fine dust will cover the skies in the Seoul metropolitan area and Chungcheongnam-do Province tomorrow. Tomorrow, Chuncheon will start off at 1 degree, and Gwangju at 5 degrees. Daily highs will move up to 18 degrees in Daejeon, Gwangju, and Daegu, 16 degrees in Jeju. Starting with the Seoul metropolitan area tomorrow afternoon, spring rain is forecast across the country. That's all for Korea. Here are the weather conditions around the world.

[Weather] Spring rain across the country tomorrow with dusty air

2025/04/01 17:00

It was chilly in the morning, but it turned warm in the middle of the day today, leading to a difference between the daily highs and lows. Tomorrow will be very similar to today with Seoul at 5 degrees Celsius in the morning, and 16 degrees during the day. Please dress in layers to avoid catching a cold. Along with the warm spring weather, fine dust has also returned. Dust is building up due to the influx of fine dust from overseas overnight. Ultra-fine dust will cover the skies in the Seoul metropolitan area and Chungcheongnam-do Province tomorrow. Tomorrow, Chuncheon will start off at 1 degree, and Daejeon at 3 degrees. Daily highs will move up to 18 degrees in Daejeon, Gwangju, and Daegu, 17 degrees in Chuncheon. Starting from the Seoul metropolitan area tomorrow afternoon, spring rain will fall throughout the country. That's all for Korea. Here are the weather conditions around the world.

[Weather] Big temperature swings across Korea under bright skies, dusty in west of central regions

2025/04/01 10:00

Welcome to April! We'll see a big temperature jump from a chilly morning. However, fine dust from abroad moved in overnight, making the air hazy across the central region. The capital area will see air quality in the 'bad' range all day, while other regions could experience dust spikes throughout the day. The dry spell continues today, with high fire danger. Dry weather advisories are still in effect across Korea. Please stay extra cautious about fires. And this afternoon, Seoul will reach 17 degrees Celsius, about 3 degrees higher than yesterday. Southern provinces can expect much brighter skies in the afternoon with an expected high of 15 degrees Celsius in Busan. We have some rain in the forecast for tomorrow. Showers will begin in the west and gradually spread across most regions. The amount won't be much. Meanwhile, temperatures will stay slightly above norms through the weekend. However, the large day-to-night temperature swings will continue, so make sure to dress accordingly.

Crowds in Tokyo gather for cherry blossom season

2025/04/01 10:00

Finally, in Japan, Tokyo's cherry blossom season has arrived earlier than usual this year, with full bloom observed over the weekend. The early arrival drew large crowds to popular "hanami" or "flower viewing" spots across the city on Monday. Parks and gardens throughout Tokyo are experiencing peak bloom, attracting locals and tourists to the seasonal festivities. While cherry blossoms usually reach their peak in late March to early April, the early blooming this year is attributed to warmer temperatures. The country's favorite flower reaching the peak usually signals the start of the new school and business year.

Death toll expected to increase in Myanmar following 7.7 magnitude earthquake

2025/03/31 20:00

Myanmar is reeling from the aftermath of a devastating earthquake that took hundreds of lives as rescue and relief workers from international entities fly in to offer much-needed assistance. Ahn Sung-jin reports. Buildings have turned into rubble, houses buried in the ground. A rescue team pulls out a young child from a collapsed building in the city of Mandalay in Myanmar after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit the country on Friday. As aftershocks continue, the military regime estimates that at least 2-thousand people are dead. "A very strong shaking started. Ground was slipping under foot The shaking lasted about a minute. When it ended, the walls of the palace and some other buildings were collapsing, and the cladding began to burst." Experts say that the true death toll could rise far higher as search efforts continue, while there has been difficulty tracking the exact casualties in areas that are controlled by rebel groups. The U.S. Geological Survey says there's a 70 percent chance that the number of deaths will be above 10-thousand. Damage has been reported not only in Myanmar, but neighboring countries including Thailand and nearby Chinese provinces. The international community, including ASEAN and the United Nations has been ramping up relief efforts and foreign medical teams have been deployed. The WHO has declared its highest level of emergency, while deploying emergency medical teams into Myanmar with trauma kits, medical supplies and other essentials. "We need urgent assistance, especially for children who often suffer the most in this kind of situation." Myanmar's military government has also declared a state of emergency. Despite the destruction from the earthquake, the country's military junta continued its air strikes, which the UN has described as "completely outrageous and unacceptable." Ahn Sung-jin, Arirang News.

[Weather] Temperatures will get warmer, dry air continues

2025/03/31 20:00

On the very last day of March, the cold snap is gradually fading away. It was chilly this morning just like the weekend. However, the weather warmed up quickly and the temperature in Seoul rose to 14 degrees Celsius during the day. It will start off a bit warmer at 5 degrees tomorrow morning and will rise to 16 degrees in Seoul tomorrow. Dry weather advisories have been issued for inland areas, the atmosphere will become drier as the warm westerly winds blow in. Please be careful not to cause any fires in these dry conditions. Tomorrow morning, Gyeongju will start off at 2 degrees, Busan and Jeju at 6 degrees. Daily highs will move up to around 15 to 17 degrees across the country, feeling much warmer than last weekend. On Wednesday, there is more rain forecast for central parts of the country, Jeollabuk-do Province, and Gyeongsangbuk-do Province. That's all for Korea. Here are the weather conditions around the world.

Death toll expected to increase in Myanmar following 7.7 magnitude earthquake

2025/03/31 17:00

Myanmar is reeling in the aftermath of a devastating earthquake that is believed to have taken hundreds of lives thus far as rescue and relief workers from international entities fly in to offer much-needed assistance. Ahn Sung-jin reports. Buildings have turned into rubble, houses buried in the ground. A rescue team pulls out a young child from a collapsed building in the city of Mandalay in Myanmar after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit the country on Friday. As aftershocks continue, the military regime estimates that at least 2-thousand people are dead. "A very strong shaking started. Ground was slipping under foot The shaking lasted about a minute. When it ended, the walls of the palace and some other buildings were collapsing, and the cladding began to burst." Experts say that the true death toll could rise far higher as search efforts continue, while there has been difficulty tracking the exact casualties in areas that are controlled by rebel groups. The U.S. Geological Survey says there's a 70 percent chance that the number of deaths will be above 10-thousand. Damage has been reported not only in Myanmar, but neighboring countries including Thailand and nearby Chinese provinces. The international community, including ASEAN and the United Nations has been ramping up relief efforts and foreign medical teams have been deployed. The WHO has declared its highest level of emergency, while deploying emergency medical teams into Myanmar with trauma kits, medical supplies and other essentials. "We need urgent assistance, especially for children who often suffer the most in this kind of situation." Myanmar's military government has also declared a state of emergency. Despite the destruction from the earthquake, the country's military junta continued its air strikes, which the UN has described as "completely outrageous and unacceptable." Ahn Sung-jin, Arirang News.

[Weather] Temperatures will get warmer, dry conditions continue

2025/03/31 17:00

Today, on the last day of March, the cold snap will gradually fade away. Following the weekend, it was chilly this morning. However, the weather warmed up quickly and the temperature in Seoul rose to 14 degrees Celsius during the day. It will rise to 16 degrees in Seoul tomorrow. Currently, dry weather advisories are in place in inland areas, the atmosphere will become drier due to the warm westerly winds. Please be careful not to cause any fires in these dry conditions. Tomorrow morning, Daejeon will start off at 3 degrees, Gwangju and Daegu at 4 degrees. Daily highs will move up to around 15 to 17 degrees across the country, feeling much warmer than the weekend. There is more rain forecast for central parts of the country, Jeollabuk-do Province, and Gyeongsangbuk-do Province on Wednesday. That's all for Korea. Here are the weather conditions around the world.

Earthquake kills more than 1,700 people in Myanmar; search and rescue operations continue

2025/03/31 10:00

In Myanmar now. Rescue workers are continuing their search for survivors after a major earthquake with a death toll above 10-thousand expected. WHO is responding with its highest level of emergency response. Shin Ha-young reports. The 7-point-7-magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar on Friday, causing widespread damage. According to Myanmar's military, the quake struck the country's central region on Friday, killing over 1-thousand-700 people and injuring more than 3-thousand-400 as of Sunday. With a lack of equipment and personnel, rescuers have been working with their bare hands in an effort to find survivors. "We were able to rescue a man aged around 24 from the rubble. It took us 24 hours for this operation to save this man. He had been stuck under the rubble for about 40 hours." Damage has also been reported in neighboring Thailand, where authorities said at least 18 people had been killed and at least 78 missing, as search and rescue operations continue. And with the death toll in the region rising quickly, the United States Geological Survey estimates a 71 percent probability that the number of fatalities will exceed 10-thousand. In response to the earthquake, international organizations are emphasizing the need for urgent aid. According to AFP, the World Health Organization on Sunday declared the earthquake a top-level emergency and urgently requested 8 million U.S. dollars to save lives and prevent disease outbreaks over the next 30 days. Meanwhile, Myanmar's military junta is continuing airstrikes in the war-torn country with attacks on "insurgents" despite the earthquake. According to the BBC, at least seven people were killed in a strike just hours after the earthquake on Friday, with further attacks taking place over the weekend. The UN has called the attacks "completely outrageous and unacceptable." Shin Ha-young, Arirang News.

Main blaze in massive wildfire in Sancheong contained after nearly 10 days

2025/03/31 10:00

It took almost 10 days, but the main blaze in Sancheong County has been finally contained. South Korea's worst wildfires in history resulted in at least 30 deaths. Lee Seung-jae leads us this morning. The massive wildfire that began in Sancheong County in Gyeongsangnam-do Province and spread through nearby regions, causing the worst wildfires in South Korea's history has been fully contained. According to forestry officials, the main fires were contained as of 1 PM Sunday, nearly 10 days after the initial blaze broke out on March 21. "There were dangerous situations due to falling rocks and rocky terrain, but it seems they overcame it well and prevented further spread of fires." The wildfires in regions of the Gyeongsangnam-do Province, saw an estimated 1-thousand-858 hectares of woodland burnt, equivalent to around 26-hundred football fields. The fires in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province saw about 48-thousand hectares of woodland affected, equivalent to 80 percent of the size of Seoul. At least 30 people died, including 26 in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province. More than three thousand houses were completely burned down, and significant damage was also reported to 30 national heritage sites and 2-thousand agricultural facilities. In order to extinguish the remaining fires, the military deployed 600 soldiers and 49 helicopters on Sunday, and is also providing medical and other assistance. The government will now focus on helping those that have been affected by the massive wildfires. This includes providing temporary housing and other assistance for those who have been displaced. Also, the government will provide livelihood support, including lowering fees for health insurance premiums, and costs for cell phone and internet and medical aid. Since the outbreak of the wildfires, approximately 10-thousand volunteers have participated in recovery and support for the displaced. The government also announced on Sunday that it will push for a supplementary budget worth ten trillion won, or 6-point-8 billion U.S. dollars, which would also include budget for wildfire recovery. Some 37 million dollars were also donated to disaster relief organizations in the hope that victims and the areas affected by the wildfires can recover quickly. Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.

[Weather] Cold snap eases this afternoon, high risk of fire

2025/03/31 10:00

We're starting off on a chilly note to wrap up March. Inland areas are feeling even chillier. However, temperatures will rise quickly this afternoon, bringing us back to seasonal norms in most places. The biggest concern today is the ongoing fire risk. The wildfire crisis alert level remains in the highest range nationwide. The air remains extremely dry, and strong westerly winds could make any small flame spread rapidly. We've already seen devastating wildfires in several regions, and with conditions like these, the risk remains dangerously high. Afternoon highs will be 2 to 8 degrees higher than yesterday, topping out at 14 degrees Celsius in Seoul, Gwangju and 15 degrees in Daegu under mostly sunny skies with decent air quality during the day. Welcome rain is in the forecast on Wednesday in the central region, Gyeongsangbuk-do and Jeollabuk-do provinces, which could help to ease dry conditions. For now, please stay alert, stay fire-safe, and take extra care outdoors.

Main fires of Gyeongsangbuk-do Province wildfires contained: Korea Forest Service

2025/03/28 20:00

The massive wildfires in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province have finally been put out. Authorities say the main fire, which started in Uiseong-gun county, is now extinguished. It's been a tough battle during the past seven days. Shin Ha-young has our top story. A week after wildfires broke out in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, authorities declared that the main blazes in the region were contained as improved visibility and cooler temperatures from overnight rain helped firefighters put out the main fires. The Korea Forest Service announced on Friday that the all main blazes in Andong City, Uiseong, Cheongsong, Yeongdeok, and Yeongyang-gun counties had been fully brought under control. "As of 5:00 PM on March 28, all the main fires in Uiseong, Andong, Cheongsong, and Yeongyang have been extinguished, starting with Yeongdeok at 2:30 PM." This comes after more than 5-thousand-500 personnel and 89 firefighting helicopters were deployed on Friday to fully contain the wildfire in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province. By midday on Friday, the overall containment rate across the region had reached 94 percent, a 32-percentage-point increase from the previous afternoon. No additional casualties have been reported as of Friday evening. According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, as of 6AM, the wildfires had killed at least 28 and injured 37 others nationwide. The disaster has displaced around 33-thousand residents, with more than 8-thousand still unable to return home. Nearly 3-thousand-5-hundred structures were damaged. "I saw the flames approaching my house—everything was glowing red. I grabbed what I could and ran When I came back, it was all gone. The fire was still burning." The wildfire is the largest in South Korea’s history, burning approximately 4-hundred 80 square kilometers—nearly 80 percent the size of Seoul. With the main fires contained, the Korea Forest Service said efforts will now focus on extinguishing any remaining embers. It has also set the period until mid-May as the spring wildfire prevention and response period. It emphasized that, while the risk of more wildfires remains, it will stay vigilant and continue its full efforts to prevent and respond to them. Shin Ha-young, Arirang News.