▲ People wearing heavy winter jackets wait for the pedestrian signal in central Seoul on Feb. 3, 2025, amid a sudden cold snap. (Yonhap)

cold spell-forecast

Cold spell hits despite onset of spring in lunar calendar

SEOUL, Feb. 3 (Yonhap) -- A cold spell gripped the nation Monday, which coincides with Ipchun, the onset of spring according to the lunar calendar, with temperatures falling 3 to 10 degrees nationwide below the 30-year average, the state weather agency said.

The cold snap can be felt as much more severe, as temperatures were 2 to 5 degrees higher than usual over the weekend, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said.

Temperatures in Seoul, Incheon and Daejeon dropped to minus 4.8 C, minus 4.9 C and minus 1.7 C, respectively, on Monday morning, due to the influx of a cold northwest wind, the KMA noted, adding the mercury dipped below minus 10 C in northern Gyeonggi Province and inland Gangwon Province.

The highest daily temperatures in Seoul and many other central regions will remain below zero, the agency said, while heavy snow is expected for three days on southern Jeju Island and the southwestern provinces of Jeolla.

The cold weather is expected to continue through Wednesday, the KMA said.

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