April 6, 2026
SEOUL – Cherry blossoms are reaching peak bloom across South Korea this week, but rain and strong winds forecast for the weekend could shorten the viewing period, the Korea Meteorological Administration said.
Rain is expected to begin Friday night and spread nationwide from the south by around midday Saturday, bringing stronger winds to southern regions.
Jeju Island could see heavy downpours exceeding 30 millimeters per hour, while other southern areas are forecast to receive 10 to 20 millimeters of rain. Precipitation is expected to weaken as it moves north, with Seoul also likely to see 10 to 20 millimeters.
Southern regions have been in full bloom since late March. In Seoul, Yeouido, one of the capital’s most popular cherry blossom spots, reached full bloom on Wednesday.
The initial round of rain is not expected to immediately end the blossoms in Seoul, but additional rainfall forecast from Sunday night could shorten the peak viewing window.
Temperatures, which have recently been above seasonal averages in Seoul, are expected to fall to around 17 to 18 degrees Celsius during the day over the weekend, returning to typical spring conditions.
Inland areas are likely to experience sharp daily temperature swings of more than 15 degrees, prompting health authorities to advise caution.