On Tuesday the 21st, the concentration of fine dust across various parts of the country is expected to reach a ‘bad’ level. This is due to the fine dust blown in from the west not being able to exit the area.
Emergency measures to reduce pollution will be implemented for the first time this winter in the metropolitan area and Chungnam. This is because the fine dust levels in the metropolitan area, Gangwon’s Yeongseo region, Chungcheong, Daegu, and Gyeongbuk are showing ‘very bad’ levels. These regions are expected to exceed the high-density fine dust emergency reduction measure criteria of a daily average concentration of 50 μg/m³ on the 21st.
Preliminary reduction measures will be implemented in Chungbuk and Sejong, while other areas are expected to be at a ‘normal’ level.
According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, due to stagnant air, the residual fine dust from the previous day, along with domestically produced fine dust, is expected to accumulate, resulting in high concentrations across most regions of the country. The visibility will be reduced as dust appears like fog, creating a hazy atmosphere.
On this day, the lowest morning temperatures are forecasted to be between -6 and 2 degrees Celsius, while the highest afternoon temperatures will range from 6 to 12 degrees Celsius. The central region will have frequent clouds, whereas the southern region and Jeju Island are expected to be mostly clear. Rain, which began the previous day, will continue in Ulleungdo and Dokdo, with an expected precipitation of about 5 mm over two days.
In the morning, dense fog is expected in some areas, so caution is advised for traffic safety. The Korea Meteorological Administration predicts visibility will be less than 200 meters in Incheon, Gyeonggi, inland Gangwon, Chungbuk, Jeonbuk, and Gyeongbuk from late at night on the 20th to the morning of the 21st. In other regions, visibility is expected to be less than 1 km. They also warned that thin fog or dust haze might remain in some areas even during the day.
The wave heights in the seas are expected to range from 0.5 to 1.0 meters in the offshore waters of the East Sea, West Sea, and South Sea. In the open sea (about 200 km from the coastline), wave heights are expected to be 0.5 to 1.5 meters in the East Sea and South Sea, and 0.5 to 1.0 meters in the West Sea.