Icy cold snap to greet 2026
South Korea will ring in the new year in an icy grip, with temperatures expected to plunge as low as minus 15 degrees Celsius on the first day of 2026.
The Korea Meteorological Administration on Wednesday said the cold weather alert for Seoul, Daejeon and parts of Gyeonggi Province would take effect at 9 p.m., with icy weather to continue until Friday.
Those planning to head outdoors for sunrise viewing are advised to bundle up in warm, layered clothing and take extra precautions to protect themselves from the cold.
Most areas will see clear skies on New Year’s Day, offering ideal conditions for sunrise viewing while cloudier conditions are expected in South Jeolla Province and on Jeju Island, according to the weather agency.
The nation’s earliest sunrise will appear over the easternmost island of Dokdo at around 7:26 a.m. On the mainland, the sun is set to rise at 7:31 a.m. at Ganjeolgot and Bangeojin Port in Ulsan, 7:39 a.m. in Jeongdongjin, a town near Gangneung, Gangwon Province, and 7:47 a.m. in Seoul.
On Thursday, morning cold will bite nationwide, with temperatures dropping to minus 10 degrees Celsius across much of the country and sinking as low as minus 15 degrees C in the inland regions of Gyeonggi Province, as well as the mountainous and inland regions of Gangwon Province and North Gyeongsang Province, respectively.
Afternoon highs are expected to hover around minus 6 to 3 degrees C.
Snow is expected to fall along the western coast of North Jeolla Province from Thursday night and on Jeju Island, while Jeju’s mountainous areas may see light flurries of less than 0.1 centimeters in the afternoon.
Through Friday, 3-8 centimeters of snow is forecast along the west coast of the Jeolla provinces while inland areas are expected to receive 1-5 centimeters.
On Jeju Island, 1-5 centimeters is expected in coastal areas, while mountainous regions could see 5-20 centimeters.
Dokdo and nearby Ulleungdo are forecast to receive 10-30 centimeters of snow or 10-30 millimeters of rain over the same period.
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