SEOUL – A cold wave watch has been issued for the greater Seoul area, including parts of Gyeonggi Province and Gangwon Province, due to a sharp drop in temperatures expected over the next two days. The Korea Meteorological Administration announced the advisory, set to take effect from 9 p.m. Sunday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, a cold wave watch is implemented when morning temperatures are anticipated to stay at minus 12 degrees Celsius or lower for at least two consecutive days, or when there is an expected drop of more than 10 degrees Celsius from the previous day to 3 degrees Celsius or below. Forecasts predict morning temperatures could plunge to as low as minus 11 degrees Celsius on Monday. Seoul and Incheon, located west of the capital, are expected to experience morning lows of minus 10 degrees Celsius. In the central city of Daejeon and the southern port city of Busan, morning temperatures are projected to be minus 3 degrees Celsius and 1 degree Celsius, respectively.
From Tuesday, most regions of the country are likely to see morning temperatures fall below minus 10 degrees Celsius, with daytime temperatures also remaining below freezing. Snowfall is expected in the western coastal areas of South Chungcheong Province and the southwestern Jeolla Province from Monday morning until Tuesday. Additionally, the southern resort island of Jeju is forecasted to encounter snow or rain until Tuesday.
In response to the anticipated cold wave, the Seoul city government has announced its readiness to transition into a 24-hour emergency response mode. This measure is to ensure swift and effective management of any issues that may arise due to the steep drop in temperatures, as stated by city officials.