Seoulites hurry along Gwanghwamun Street on Nov. 18 as a cold wave hits the capital, with morning temperatures falling below zero for the first time this fall. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Nov. 18 (Korea Bizwire) — Seoul awoke Tuesday to the kind of cold that seems to arrive all at once, reshaping the edges of the city overnight. By dawn, the capital had slipped decisively into winter: a sharp sub-zero chill, the first of the season, settling over streets and riverbanks.
According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, temperatures in Seoul first dipped below freezing late Monday night, then continued their descent to minus 2 degrees Celsius by early morning. Winds sweeping down from the north pushed the perceived temperature to nearly minus 6, a reminder that winter in Korea is often felt before it is seen.
The cold was not confined to the capital. Across the country, morning lows fell by 5 to 10 degrees from the day before, as northern air surged southward. On Hyangno Peak in Gangwon Province, the mercury plunged to minus 12.1 degrees—one of the coldest readings so far—while towns just outside Seoul, including Yeoncheon, Pocheon, and Paju, hovered near minus 8.
In the central region, Chungju recorded a morning low of minus 5.7, and cold-wave alerts were issued for Gangwon, North Chungcheong, and parts of the Gyeongsang provinces—a sign the cold snap is not passing through but settling in.
Afternoon temperatures offered little relief. Nationwide highs were expected to range from only 4 to 11 degrees, with much of the country bracing for bursts of wind strong enough to rattle windows—gusts approaching 55 kilometers per hour, the agency warned.
Along the western coasts and on Jeju Island, forecasters said intermittent snow or rain may sweep through, stitching the early outlines of winter into the landscape.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
