Severe cold weather swept across the Seoul metropolitan area and various parts of the country on December 8th, leading to the issuance of cold wave advisories. Notably, icicles were observed at Yanghwa Hangang Park in Yeongdeungpo, Seoul. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), the cold wave advisory was in effect from 9 PM the previous day for Seoul, northern and southeastern Gyeonggi Province, Gangwon Province, and parts of Chungcheongbuk-do and Gyeongsangbuk-do. Frigid temperatures are expected to persist throughout the day, with inland central regions likely dropping below freezing even during midday.
Forecasts for December 9 indicate that temperatures across the nation will remain below zero. Especially in central regions, the wind chill factor is expected to make the morning commute particularly uncomfortable. The KMA predicts morning lows ranging from -11 to 2 degrees Celsius and daytime highs from 3 to 10 degrees. Although these temperatures are similar to seasonal averages, the ongoing cold air intrusion is expected to drive temperatures in Seoul down to -5 degrees, maintaining harsh winter conditions in the central region. While most of the central areas are likely to experience cloudy skies, southern regions and Jeju Island are forecasted to be clear in the morning but turn cloudy in the afternoon.
Precipitation is anticipated to begin on the night of December 9. Due to a pressure trough, rain or snow is expected to start falling in the Seoul metropolitan area and inland Gangwon, spreading nationwide by December 10. Expected snowfall amounts for December 9-10 range from 3-10 cm in inland and mountainous areas of Gangwon (with some locations possibly exceeding 15 cm), 3-8 cm in eastern Gyeonggi, 1-5 cm in western Gyeonggi, and 1-3 cm in Seoul and Incheon. The forecasted rainfall for this period is expected to be 5-10 mm in the metropolitan region and inland Gangwon, and less than 5 mm along the eastern coast of Gangwon.
With dry weather advisories in effect in eastern regions, there is potential for overlapping snow, rain, and strong winds, necessitating heightened caution. Authorities have urged the public to pay attention to traffic safety, infrastructure management, and fire prevention.
At sea, wave heights are expected to reach 0.5-2.0 meters in the East Sea, 0.5-1.5 meters in the West Sea, and 0.5-1.0 meters in the South Sea, with the maximum wave height in the East Sea predicted to reach up to 3.5 meters. In a positive note, air quality is expected to remain good across all regions due to favorable atmospheric dispersion.
The morning temperatures in major regions are forecasted as follows: Seoul -5 degrees, Incheon -4 degrees, Chuncheon -11 degrees, Daejeon -7 degrees, Daegu -6 degrees, Busan -3 degrees, and Jeju Island 3 degrees. Daytime temperatures are expected to range from 6 degrees in Seoul and Incheon to 11 degrees in Jeju.