A severe Cold Wave hit South Korea on Wednesday as Arctic air plunged temperatures across several regions. The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) issued cold wave advisories for Seoul, Gyeonggi Province, Gangwon, and the Chungcheong provinces.
Morning lows ranged from minus 11 degrees Celsius to minus 1 C nationwide, and forecasters expect even colder conditions through Friday. The KMA issues cold wave warnings when temperatures remain below minus 1 C for at least two consecutive mornings or drop rapidly enough to cause damage.
Seoul may experience its first snowfall of the winter on Thursday, with temperatures dropping further in the morning. Heavy snow warnings also cover coastal areas of Chungcheong and Jeolla provinces, along with parts of Jeju Island, where snow could intensify overnight and on Friday.
The KMA projects 3 to 8 centimeters of snow along the west coast, 1 to 5 centimeters inland, and 3 to 10 centimeters on Jeju Island. Arctic air below minus 35 C pushed temperatures down by 5 to 10 C compared to Tuesday. Strong winds reaching 70 kilometers per hour will make the cold feel even sharper.
An upper-level trough passing over North Korea will bring more snow to central regions starting Thursday afternoon. Seoul, Incheon, and western Gyeonggi may see about 1 centimeter, while eastern Gyeonggi and Gangwon’s Yeongseo region could receive 1 to 5 centimeters. Some areas may get a mix of rain and snow depending on local temperatures.
Authorities urged residents to prepare for icy roads, frostbite risks, and strong winds. The Cold Wave should ease gradually from Thursday afternoon, but chilly conditions will persist through Friday. Temperatures will likely rebound over the weekend, reaching around 3 C above seasonal averages.
