Central Korea will face scattered rain and a sharp drop in temperatures on Sunday the 8th, with morning lows falling below 5 degrees Celsius across most of the country and below freezing in inland areas, the Korea Meteorological Administration said, as CATN reported. The cold air moving in from the northwest is expected to widen the gap between day and night temperatures to 10 to 15 degrees nationwide, and forecasters warned residents to take care with their health as morning temperatures plunge.
The KMA said that “for the time being, morning temperatures will fall below 5 degrees in most parts of the country, making it cold,” and that “in the central regions, northeastern Jeonbuk, and inland Gyeongsang areas, morning temperatures will drop below zero in some places.”
Frost and Ice Expected Across Inland Regions
Frost is forecast for the central regions, northeastern Jeonbuk, and inland Gyeongsang, while freezing conditions are expected in inland Gyeongbuk. The wide day-night temperature swing of 10 to 15 degrees across most of the country will make the mornings feel especially sharp.
Rain Moves Through Central Regions During the Day
Rain will begin during the day in northern Gyeonggi and northern Gangwon, spreading to the rest of the Seoul metropolitan area and Gangwon by late afternoon. Most of the rain is expected to end by late night, with additional rain in northern Chungcheong at night.
Light drizzle of less than 0.1 millimeter is also possible: in the Seoul metropolitan area and Gangwon from morning to midday, in the rest of Chungcheong from afternoon through night, and in central and northern Gyeongbuk late at night.
Precipitation Varies by Elevation and Region
Forecast precipitation totals are modest: around 5 millimeters for Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi, and the West Sea islands; under 5 millimeters for Gangwon; and under 5 millimeters for Sejong, northern Chungnam, and central and northern Chungbuk. About 1 centimeter of snow is expected in the Gangwon mountains. Because the rain or snow will fall with only slight temperature differences, the type of precipitation could vary by elevation within the same area, producing different snowfall amounts across nearby locations.
Dry Conditions to Ease as Rain Arrives
The air will remain very dry in Gangwon’s Yeongdong region and along the northern Donghae coast of Gyeongbuk, where dry weather warnings are in effect, and the Seoul metropolitan area and other eastern regions will also stay dry. The dry warnings are likely to be lifted as the rain moves in.
Temperatures Run Below Seasonal Norms
Morning lows are forecast between minus 1 and 7 degrees, with daytime highs of 8 to 15 degrees — below the seasonal average of 2 to 11 degrees for lows and 14 to 19 for highs. Major cities are expected to see morning lows of 2 degrees in Seoul, Incheon, Suwon, Chuncheon, Gwangju, and Jeonju; 1 degree in Daejeon, Cheongju, Jeonju, Ulsan, and Daegu; 4 degrees in Gangneung; 5 degrees in Busan; and 11 degrees in Jeju. Afternoon highs are forecast at 8 degrees in Seoul and Incheon, 9 in Suwon, 10 in Chuncheon and Daejeon, 12 in Gangneung, Cheongju, and Gwangju, 11 in Jeonju, 13 in Daegu, 15 in Busan and Ulsan, and 18 in Jeju.
Air Quality Forecast at “Good” Levels Nationwide
Fine dust levels are expected to be in the “good” range across all regions, as upper- and lower-atmosphere dispersion combined with the rainfall clears the air. Skies will be mostly cloudy nationwide, with the country sitting near the edge of a high-pressure system over the northern East Sea while the central regions come under the influence of a trough passing to the north in the afternoon.
The combination of below-normal temperatures, frost in inland areas, and only trace amounts of precipitation means Sunday will feel cold and dry across most of the country even where rain briefly falls.
Related reading