Korea Meteorological Administration to offer hyperlocal 3-hour forecasts by neighborhood

The Korea Meteorological Administration is overhauling its weather services, from hyperlocal precision forecasts to improved information on heat waves, heavy snowfall and earthquakes.

The agency unveiled its "Second-Half 2026 Core Priorities" at a government briefing held Tuesday at Cheong Wa Dae's banquet hall.

The most significant change involves medium-range forecasting. Starting in late November, the KMA will provide detailed forecasts at 5-kilometer intervals in 3-to-6-hour windows. Currently, the agency issues morning and afternoon weather updates at the broader metropolitan and provincial level — covering areas such as Seoul and Gyeonggi Province. The existing table-based forecast format will also be replaced with digital maps and graphics to improve usability.

The heavy-snow emergency alert system will also be revamped to address recurring winter storm damage. A heavy-snowfall alert service piloted last winter in the Greater Seoul area, South Chungcheong Province and North Jeolla Province will expand nationwide in December. Previously, a single uniform standard applied across the country; going forward, alert thresholds will vary by region to reflect local climate conditions and damage risk.

Marine weather information will be made more field-oriented as well. Reflecting input from fishing communities, the KMA will subdivide its marine special advisory zones from 26 to 30 starting in November, splitting offshore zones to deliver more precise information and reduce unnecessary fishing restrictions.

Earthquake response services will be strengthened to speed up information delivery when tremors occur. The KMA plans to expand its overseas seismic analysis coverage in preparation for large earthquakes near the Korean Peninsula, including along Japan's Nankai Trough. It will also develop a seismic-motion information service related to high-rise building vibrations by December.

To allow schools, local governments and other disaster-management agencies to immediately use KMA data when an earthquake strikes, the agency will expand links between its broadcast systems and earthquake information networks. By the end of this year, the integration is set to cover 226 basic local government units and 1,168 schools.

Climate-crisis response services will be broadened as well. From September, the KMA will provide customized meteorological forecast data to support solar and wind power operations, supplying hourly regional solar radiation and wind speed information for up to five days ahead to help operators predict generation output and manage power supply.

AI technology will also be deployed in earnest, particularly to address hazardous weather events such as the recent heat waves. The KMA plans to integrate AI into the monitoring and forecasting of typhoons, lightning and heat waves, and aims to complete detailed design work this year for a Korean-developed AI weather and climate model. The model, targeted for operational use in 2029, will analyze vast amounts of meteorological data to support faster and more precise forecasting.

"In an era of climate crisis, I hope that more detailed and diverse weather and climate information will serve as a solid pillar protecting people's lives and safety," KMA Commissioner Lee Mi-seon said. "We will spare no effort to improve the lives and well-being of the public in the face of the climate crisis."