Typhoon Nakri forecast to affect southern coast

Amid continued high temperatures, Typhoon Nakri is expected to head northward, brushing closer to the Korean Peninsula than initially expected starting this weekend.

Typhoon Nakri was passing through the southwest coast of Japan’s Okinawa island on Wednesday afternoon and is expected to follow a northward trajectory through the southern and western coast of the Korean Peninsula, approaching Jeju Island, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) yesterday. The cyclone is expected to directly and indirectly affect the peninsula from today until Tuesday, the peak of the summer holiday season in Korea, when many people travel to the beaches and coastal areas.

The typhoon maintained a speed of 22 kilometers per hour (13.7 miles per hour) as it passed through Okinawa yesterday afternoon around 3 p.m., according to the KMA, with maximum sustained winds of 86 kilometers per hour. Nakri is expected to reach medium intensity as it heads northward, and weaken around Sunday. Its speeds are expected to slow as it travels up the western coast of the peninsula.

It is forecast to pass through waters off the southern coast of Jeju Island today and bring strong winds and rain. There are concerns that the typhoon may incur damages in these regions, and the KMA has warned residents and travelers to exercise caution.

An average of about 40 millimeters (1.5 inches) of rain per hour is expected over the next five days in Jeju, with more than 400 millimeters of rain predicted on Korea’s southern coast during that period.

Typhoon Halong was also moving along in a northwesterly direction yesterday after hitting Guam. Whether it will impact the Peninsula can only be determined in about two or three days, the National Typhoon Center here said.

BY SARAH KIM, KANG CHAN-SU [sarahkim@joongang.co.kr]