Korea records first snowfall of season, temperatures to drop further Tuesday

Korea recorded its coldest morning of the season on Monday, accompanied by the first snowfall on Mount Seorak. Temperatures are expected to drop further on Tuesday, with parts of the greater Seoul area feeling subzero wind chills.

Snow piles up around the Socheong shelter area of Mount Seorak on Oct. 20, marking Korea’s first snowfall of the autumn season. [SEORAKSAN NATIONAL PARK OFFICE]

Korea recorded its coldest morning of the season on Monday, accompanied by the first snowfall on Mount Seorak, as a cold front swept across the peninsula ahead of the autumn foliage peak. Temperatures are expected to drop further on Tuesday, with parts of the greater Seoul area feeling subzero wind chills.

Cold air from the north swept down over the peninsula on Monday morning, bringing temperatures down by 5 to 10 degrees Celsius (41 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit) compared to the day before, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). It marked the coldest morning of autumn so far.

Eunpyeong District in northern Seoul recorded 3 degrees Celsius, while Gwacheon in Gyeonggi saw the temperature fall to 1.4 degrees Celsius.

On Mount Seorak in Gangwon, where the autumn foliage has yet to reach its peak, the temperature dropped below zero to minus 1.3 degrees Celsius, and the mountain saw its first snowfall of the season.

“Snow began falling early on Monday morning, and around one centimeter [0.4 inches] accumulated near the Jungcheong shelter,” the Seoraksan National Park Office said.

This year's first snow on Mount Seorak came a day later than last year's on Oct. 19 but a day earlier than in 2023.

A pedestrian wraps a blanket around her shoulders while moving near City Hall Station in Seoul amid the morning chill on Oct. 20. [NEWS1]

Even during the day, chilly weather persisted, with Seoul's high expected to reach only 15 degrees Celsius.

On Tuesday, temperatures are forecast to dip even further, bringing the brief cold snap to its peak.

Morning lows in Seoul will fall to around 4 degrees Celsius, with wind chills near 2 degrees Celsius. In some parts of Gyeonggi — including Ganghwa, Siheung, Yangju and Paju — the apparent temperature may drop to minus 1 degree Celsius, the first subzero wind chills of the season. Autumn rains to early winter chill

Pedestrians wearing thick jackets walk across the Gwanghwamun intersection in Seoul on Oct. 20. [NEWS1]

The sudden cold followed a weekend of dramatic weather changes driven by shifting atmospheric pressure patterns over the Korean Peninsula.

Until last week, the North Pacific High — which typically weakens by early fall — unusually lingered, bringing late-season heat and prolonged autumn rains. But over the weekend, a continental high-pressure system from the north expanded southward, ushering in dry and frigid air more typical of winter.

While temperatures are expected to rise slightly after Wednesday, the chill will persist through the week. Another wave of cold air is forecast to move in after the weekend, bringing clear skies but intermittent cold spells.

“For the time being, temperatures will remain 2 to 7 degrees Celsius lower than average, with strong winds making it feel even colder,” a KMA official said. “People should take care to protect their health amid the sudden drop in temperatures.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY CHON KWON-PIL [kim.juyeon2@joongang.co.kr]