Heavy Snowfall Expected in Central Region and Honam Over the Weekend... 1-3 cm Per Hour Forecast

Heavy snowfall is expected over the weekend, mainly in the central region and Honam.

Heavy snow is falling near the downtown river in Chuncheon City on the 23rd of last month. Photo by Yonhap News

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, between January 9 and 10, cold air with temperatures ranging from -40 to -35 degrees Celsius will pass through the upper atmosphere about 5 km above the Korean Peninsula, bringing snow or rain and strong winds across the country.

Between the early morning and morning of January 9, cold air over the Korean Peninsula will collide with relatively warm and humid air blowing in from the southwest, causing light snow mainly in the central region. From midnight on January 9 to the morning of January 10, as a low-pressure system approaches and begins to pass north of the peninsula, southwesterly winds will strengthen ahead of the system, bringing significant snow or rain to the central region. From the morning of January 10, the low-pressure system will move eastward, and cold northwesterly winds will follow, expanding the areas affected by snowfall.

The Korea Meteorological Administration stated that in eastern Gyeonggi Province, heavy snow of 1 to 3 cm per hour is possible from the morning to afternoon of January 10, and in the inland and mountainous areas of Gangwon Province, from the early morning to evening of January 10. In some parts of Gangwon’s inland and mountainous regions, snowfall rates could reach around 5 cm per hour.

From the night of January 10 through January 11, -40 degree Celsius cold air will once again cover the upper atmosphere over Korea, with northwesterly winds heading toward Honam. As a result, very heavy snow is expected in Honam, and some areas may be placed under a heavy snow warning. A heavy snow warning is issued when new snowfall is expected to reach 20 cm (30 cm in mountainous areas) or more within 24 hours.

In North Jeolla Province, from the afternoon to night of January 10, and in Gwangju and South Jeolla Province on the night of January 10, snowfall rates of 1 to 3 cm per hour are expected, with a maximum of around 5 cm per hour late at night. Between the night of January 10 and January 11, snow will also accumulate in parts of the inland areas of Yeongnam.

Total snowfall by January 10 is expected to be 3 to 10 cm in the inland and mountainous areas of Gangwon Province (with up to more than 15 cm in the northern inland and mountainous regions), 3 to 8 cm in eastern Gyeonggi Province, 2 to 7 cm in Honam, 1 to 5 cm in western Gyeonggi Province, the five West Sea islands, Chungcheong, southwestern North Gyeongsang inland, northern North Gyeongsang inland, northeastern North Gyeongsang mountains, western South Gyeongsang inland, Ulleungdo, Dokdo, and Jeju Island mountains, and about 1 to 3 cm in Seoul and Incheon, and around 1 cm in Daegu, central North Gyeongsang inland, and northern North Gyeongsang east coast.

From the morning of January 12 to the early morning of January 13, another low-pressure system will pass north of Korea, bringing snow or rain again, mainly to the central region, from the afternoon of January 12 through the early morning of January 13.