Temperatures to drop by more than 10 C Tuesday morning

Some areas could see cold wave alerts issued

Pedestrians with gloves and thick autumn clothing cross the street in Gwanghwamun, central Seoul. (Yonhap)

South Korea will begin to see hints of winter weather, as temperatures are expected to drop significantly from Tuesday, with some regions seeing cold wave alerts issued in the morning, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration on Monday.

According to the KMA, average temperatures nationwide are expected to range from 2 to 11 degrees Celsius on Tuesday morning, a 10 C difference from average temperatures on Monday.

As a low-pressure trough passes over the northern parts of Korea, the KMA stated that cold northwesterly winds are expected to blow into the country from late Monday evening, causing a significant drop in temperatures.

In northeastern parts of Gyeonggi Province as well as mountainous and inland regions of Gangwon Province, a cold wave alert is likely to be issued Tuesday morning, with temperatures dropping to as low as zero. Cold wave alerts in Korea are issued when morning low temperatures are expected to drop by 10 degrees or more from the previous day.

The first snow of the year may also be observed in mountainous regions of Gangwon Province. In areas 1,000 meters above sea level, the KMA anticipates up to 5 centimeters of snow to accumulate, while other areas may see 1 to 5 cm of snow.

Temperatures may feel colder than actual temperatures, due to strong winds reaching up to 55 kilometers per hour nationwide. Mountainous regions in Gangwon Province may see winds up to 90 kph.

The state weather agency added that temperatures are expected to drop even more on Wednesday, as morning lows are expected to not exceed 5 C. In eastern parts of North Jeolla Province as well as inland regions of North Gyeongsang Province, the KMA stated that there is also a chance for temperatures to drop into negative territory.

By Lee Jung-joo(lee.jungjoo@heraldcorp.com)