Cold snap to grip South Korea for days

(Yonhap)

SEOUL — A cold snap is expected to grip South Korea on Tuesday, sending morning lows to around minus 5 degrees Celsius in Seoul and below minus 10 degrees in some other areas, the weather agency said Monday.

The Korea Meteorological Administration expects to issue cold weather advisories for mountainous regions in Gangwon and North Gyeongsang provinces at around 11 p.m. Monday, as icy air from Siberia moves toward the Korean Peninsula.

Snow is in the forecast Tuesday for the northern parts of Gyeonggi Province and much of Gangwon Province.

The cold spell is likely to continue till Friday, with even colder weather on the way Wednesday and Thursday. Some areas could see the coldest day of the season, the KMA said.

As for Seoul, the morning low is expected to be around minus 5 degrees Tuesday morning and dip to minus 11 degrees Thursday morning. The wind chill factor is expected to make it feel like 15-22 degrees below zero.

“After it snows, temperatures are likely to plummet. We advise citizens to take extra care for their health, on the roads as well as in building maintenance,” the KMA said in a press release.