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| A person walks up a path in a mountain park in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. Yonhap |
By Lee Hyo-jin
Korea saw temperatures rise above freezing on Wednesday, offering a brief respite from the week-long freezing weather. But a cold snap accompanied by more heavy snow is expected to grip the nation again from Thursday through Christmas Eve.
According to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), daily highs in Seoul rose to four degrees Celsius on Wednesday, but the warmer-than-usual weather will be followed by cold blasts and biting winds starting the next day, with morning lows in the capital expected to plunge to minus nine degrees Celsius.
The state weather agency planned to issue a cold wave advisory across Seoul and surrounding Gyeonggi Province, as well as Gangwon Province, at 9 p.m. Wednesday.
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Friday's weather will be colder, with morning lows at minus 15 degrees and daily highs at minus five degrees in central inland regions. The mercury will be even lower in the mountainous regions of Gangwon Province at minus 21 degrees ― the coldest weather of the season so far. The cold spell is expected to continue until Christmas Day.
While the nation was blanketed by heavy snow which fell Wednesday from the morning until the afternoon, the KMA predicted more snow to fall from Thursday until Friday morning.
On Thursday, Jeolla Province, South Chungcheong Province and Jeju Island will receive 10 to 25 centimeters of snow. The mountainous regions of Jeju Island may see up to 50 centimeters of snow, while southern Gyeonggi Province and North Chungcheong Province will receive one to five centimeters.
The authorities warned of potential traffic disruptions, the bursting of water pipes and other possible accidents caused by the heavy snowfall and cold weather.
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