No white Christmas? Brace for a cold snap

A video shows airflow at an altitude of five kilometers, indicating cold air expanding over the Korean Peninsula since Tuesday. (Korea Meteorological Administration)

With Christmas falling on Thursday, most of South Korea is unlikely to see snow again this year, the Korea Meteorological Administration said Tuesday.

The weather agency said rain is expected on Christmas Eve, while mostly clear skies are forecast for Christmas Day. Snow is only expected in some mountainous areas in Gangwon Province, mainly overnight between Tuesday and Wednesday.

The administration noted that white Christmases are uncommon in Korea. In Seoul, only 11 Christmas Days have recorded snowfall over the past 34 years since 1991.

Instead of snow, the country is set for a sharp cold snap beginning on Christmas Day. In Seoul, both daytime highs and overnight lows are forecast to dip below zero degrees Celsius from Thursday.

The daytime high is projected to fall from around 6 degrees Celsius on Wednesday to minus 1 on Thursday, before sliding further to around minus 4 degrees on Friday.

Overnight lows are forecast at minus 3 degrees on Thursday and minus 12 degrees on Friday.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency urged the public to take precautions against cold-related illnesses, after reporting the season’s first death from cold exposure last week.

The KMA also warned of icy road conditions, saying Wednesday’s rain could freeze as temperatures plunge, raising the risk of accidents.