The purpose of this study is to investigate the characteristic changes of the Changma season in the 2000s. To accomplish this goal, we have used daily rainfall data collected over nearly 40 years (1971 to 2010). The average summer precipitation data including the Changma season were collected from 16 weather stations that are placed across the three major regions (i.e. central region, southern region, and Jeju region) as Korea Meteorological Administration divided. These precipitation data were analyzed to find out characteristic changes of the Changma season. Results of the precipitation data comparison among the major regions that, monthly average precipitation in the central region was the highest in July; its precipitation tended to increase from May to September. In the southern region, the precipitation amount was lowest in June and tended to increase in May, September, and August. In the Jeju region, the precipitation has been the highest in June and July for the past 30 years, whereas September has been highest month in the last 10 years. The precipitation amount in the Jeju region decreased both in June and July, whereas it tended to grow in May, August and September. A correlation coefficient formula by Karl Pearson has been used to find out correlations between the Changma season and the precipitation of the major regions in 2000s and normal years. It was found that the correlation coefficient has decreased from 0.723 to 0.524 in the 2000s (2001 to 2010) compared to normal years (1971 to 2000).

An attempt is made to analyse characteristic features of heavy rainfalls which occur at the metropolitan area of the Korean peninsular the on- and off- Changma season. For this, two representative heavy rainfall episodes are selected; one is the on-Changma season wherein a torrential rain episode happened at Goyang city on 12 July 2006, and the other is the off-Changma season, a heavy rainfall event in Seoul on 21 September 2006. Both recorded considerable amounts of precipitation, over 250mm in a half-day, which greatly exceeded the amount expected by numerical prediction models at those times, and caused great damage to property and life in the affected area. Similarities in the characteristics of both episodes were shown by; the location of upper-level jet streak and divergence fields of the upper wind over heavy rainfall areas, significantly high equivalent potential temperatures in the low atmospheric layer due to the entrainment of hot and humid air by the low-level jet, and the existence of very dry air and cold air pool in the middle layer of the atmosphere at the peak time of the rainfall events. Among them, differences in dynamic features of the low-level jet and the position of rainfall area along the low-level jet are remarkable.