On the 9th, Seoul’s morning low temperature is expected to drop to minus 12 degrees Celsius, with the wind chill going down to minus 19 degrees, making it the coldest day of the winter across the country. The Korea Meteorological Administration forecasted on the 8th that cold air from the northwest would cause temperatures to remain lower than average (with lows between minus 12 and 0 degrees Celsius, and highs between 1 and 8 degrees Celsius) for the time being.
This cold weather is due to cold air below minus 30 degrees Celsius infiltrating the upper atmosphere at an altitude of 5 km. The cold northwesterly winds are blowing strongly along the edge of a continental high-pressure system expanding from northern China. Consequently, a cold wave advisory was issued in Seoul for the first time this winter, and most regions nationwide are under a cold wave advisory or warning. A cold wave advisory is issued when the morning low temperature is expected to be below minus 12 degrees for two or more days, while a cold wave warning is issued when it is expected to be below minus 15 degrees for two or more days.
The cold spell is expected to continue throughout the day and night on the 9th and 10th, with Seoul’s morning low temperature dropping to minus 12 degrees according to the Jongno-gu Songwol-dong weather observatory. The wind chill is expected to be minus 19 degrees on the 9th and minus 17 degrees on the 10th. Daytime temperatures will remain around freezing in most areas, with central regions dropping to below minus 5 degrees on the 9th, and strong winds will make it feel even colder. The cold weather is expected to ease slightly starting on the 11th and return to around average levels by the 12th.
There is a need to be cautious about cold-related illnesses. According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, 129 cases of cold-related illnesses have occurred this winter, with one out of five cases occurring at home. Among the cold-related illnesses reported from last month to the 5th of this month, 86.0% were due to hypothermia, and 72.9% of the cases occurred outdoors.