Freezing rain, snow expected Tuesday as mercury dips

Rain and snow are expected to persist in Korea through Tuesday morning, accompanied by low temperatures.

Residents in Busan pass a sidewalk in Dongnae District as rain falls in the area on Monday afternoon. [NEWS1]

Rain and snow are expected to persist in Korea through Tuesday morning, accompanied by low temperatures.

The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) on Monday warned the public to be wary of road ice and slippery roads during Tuesday morning rush hours, as rain freezes and snow piles up with the dropping temperatures.

On Tuesday, morning lows are expected to plunge by around 3 to 9 degrees Celsius (37 to 48 degrees Fahrenheit) compared to Monday.

In the greater Seoul area, including Incheon and Gyeonggi, morning lows on Tuesday will range between minus 7 and minus 1 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, temperatures in Gangwon may plummet to as low as minus 11 degrees, and in North Gyeongsang, morning lows may dip to minus 5 degrees.

Nationwide midday highs on Tuesday are expected to range between 2 to 10 degrees Celsius. However, temperatures are forecast to return to average annual levels on Wednesday.

Gangwon and parts of inland North Gyeongsang are likely to experience heavy snow through Tuesday.

Around 1 to 2 centimeters (0.3 to 0.7 inches) of snow fell in these areas on Monday. The KMA has issued heavy snow advisories and watches in these regions on the same day, cautioning residents about the risk of collapsing structures, such as greenhouses. The mountainous area of Jeju was issued a heavy snow advisory as of 3 p.m. on Monday.

Heavy snow is set to persist in the Yeongdong region of Gangwon, which includes the coastal areas of Goseong and Yangyang counties and the cities of Sokcho, Gangneung, Donghae, Samcheok and Taebaek.

Through Tuesday, the greater Seoul area, South Chungcheong, North Jeolla, South Gyeongsang and Jeju will receive 1 to 5 centimeters of snow. Inland regions of Gangwon, South Chungcheong and North Gyeongsang are expected to receive 2 to 7 centimeters of snow during the same period. Mountainous areas of Gangwon and North Gyeongsang may see accumulations of over 15 centimeters.

The continental anticyclone will bring the sudden cold snap on Tuesday, the KMA said. However, the cold season is projected to conclude this month, with temperatures for the remaining period having a 40 percent chance of being higher or similar to the annual average temperatures. Sunday marked Ipchun in Korea, signifying the onset of spring.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]