[Edaily Reporter Kim Min-jung ] As Typhoon No. 30 “Champi” moves northward, heavy rain and strong winds are expected this weekend, primarily in Jeju Island and the southern regions.

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration on the 23rd, as of 3:00 a.m. that day, Champi was moving northward in waters approximately 460 km southeast of Taipei, Taiwan. Maximum wind speeds near its center reached 43 m/s (155 km/h), classifying it as a Category 3 typhoon.

The typhoon is expected to pass about 110 km northeast of Taipei at 3:00 a.m. on the 24th and then turn northeast. It is then expected to reach waters about 520 km south-southwest of Seogwipo, Jeju, by 3:00 a.m. on the 25th. By that time, its maximum wind speed is expected to weaken to 24 m/s (86 km/h).

The Korea Meteorological Administration forecasts that by 3:00 a.m. on the 26th, the typhoon will weaken into a temperate low-pressure system over land near Kagoshima, Japan, approximately 60 km to the north.

Although Champi once developed into a super typhoon, it is gradually weakening as it moves northward into waters with lower sea surface temperatures. Strong westerly winds over the Korean Peninsula are also expected to prevent the typhoon from moving further north.

However, due to the warm, humid air drawn in by the typhoon, rain is expected to fall throughout the weekend on Jeju Island and in the southern regions.

Rain that began on the afternoon of the 23rd in Jeju Island is expected to spread to the southern coasts of South Jeolla and South Gyeongsang provinces starting in the evening. On the 24th, rain is expected in various parts of the southern regions, and on the 25th, the area of precipitation may expand to include parts of Chungcheong Province.

The expected rainfall from the 23rd to the 24th is 30–80 mm in areas excluding northern and western Jeju Island, and 10–40 mm in northern and western Jeju. Rainfall of 5–30 mm is forecast for Gwangju and South Jeolla Province, as well as Busan, Ulsan, and South Gyeongsang Province; 5–20 mm for Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province; and 5–10 mm for North Jeolla Province.

Caution is also advised regarding strong winds and high waves. Strong winds with gusts exceeding 55 km/h are expected to hit Jeju Island starting in the afternoon of the 23rd and the southern coast starting on the 24th. Waves could reach heights of 5 meters or more in the waters south of Jeju and in the open waters of the South Sea.

If Typhoon Champi is classified as a typhoon affecting South Korea, it will be the latest such occurrence since typhoon records began in 1951. The previous record was held by Typhoon “Jeb,” which affected South Korea from October 16 to 18, 1998.

The typhoon has already disrupted air travel in Taiwan and Japan. According to Reuters, 125 domestic flights were canceled in Taiwan on the 22nd, and more than 100 flights were canceled in Japan, affecting over 11,000 passengers.

The Korea Meteorological Administration urged the public to “check the latest weather information, as the intensity of rainfall and the timing of its end may vary depending on the typhoon’s path.”