Chilliest autumn morning hits Korea as temperatures plummet near freezing in some regions

The nation experienced the chilliest morning of this year’s autumn on Wednesday, with temperatures in Gangwon plummeting to nearly freezing.

People wearing jackets and outerwear stand on streets in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Wednesday morning. [NEWS1]

The nation experienced the chilliest morning of this year’s autumn on Wednesday, with temperatures in the mountainous areas of Gangwon plummeting to nearly freezing.

Mount Seorak recorded a daily low of 0.2 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit) at 7 a.m., according to the Korea Meteorological Administration’s Gangwon branch. The province’s inland Cherwon County saw its lowest temperature at 2.1 degrees Celsius, while Pyeongchang's highland area recorded 5.9 degrees Celsius. The coastal city of Gangwon, Gangneung, had a daily low of 10.3 degrees Celsius.

The cold also swept across the greater Seoul area and the central region.

At 8 a.m., the temperature in Seoul was 11.7 degrees Celsius, while Incheon and Daejeon recorded 12.9 degrees Celsius.

Southern regions had relatively warmer mornings compared to the north and central areas, with temperatures in Gwangju at 15.1 degrees Celsius and Busan at 17.3 degrees Celsius.

Cold air masses advancing southward caused temperatures to drop by five to 10 degrees Celsius overnight, especially in the northern and central regions. The southern areas experienced a drop of two to five degrees Celsius.

Daytime temperatures across the nation will hover around 19 to 24 degrees Celsius, slightly below the average for this period, which is typically between 22 and 25 degrees Celsius.

The colder-than-usual weather will persist until Thursday, causing diurnal temperature fluctuations of more than 10 degrees Celsius. The state weather agency reported that temperatures will return to average levels by Friday.

The weather agency has warned of potential strong gusts on Wednesday, with wind speeds reaching up to 55 kilometers (34 miles) per hour.

As of Wednesday morning, Typhoon Krathon is located 460 kilometers southwest of Taipei, Taiwan. The typhoon may affect Korea’s weather on Friday and beyond, depending on its path.

BY LEE SOO-JUNG [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]