"Why Is It Like This Every Commute?" Sudden Drop to -14 Degrees, Snow and Rain Expected

On Monday, January 12, the morning low will drop to as low as -14 degrees Celsius, bringing severe cold to commuters.

Citizens wearing outerwear such as padded jackets are crossing the street at Gwanghwamun Intersection in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, the morning low will range from -14 to -3 degrees Celsius, and the daytime high will range from 0 to 10 degrees Celsius, both lower than the seasonal average.

Snow or rain will begin to fall from the morning in the western coastal areas of Seoul, Incheon, and Gyeonggi Province, and will spread to most central regions except for the eastern coast of Gangwon Province in the afternoon. The western coast of South Chungcheong Province will see snow or rain throughout the day, while precipitation in Jeju Island will stop by dawn.

The expected snowfall over the two days of January 12 and 13 is 2 to 7 centimeters in the inland and mountainous areas of Gangwon Province, 1 to 5 centimeters in eastern Gyeonggi Province and the western coast of South Chungcheong Province, 1 to 3 centimeters in northwestern Gyeonggi Province and North Chungcheong Province, around 1 centimeter in eastern North Jeolla Province, and less than 1 centimeter in Seoul, Incheon, and southwestern Gyeonggi Province. Rainfall is forecast to be around 5 millimeters in the capital area and inland/mountainous areas of Gangwon Province, and around 1 millimeter in the Chungcheong region and North Jeolla Province. The five West Sea islands are expected to receive less than 5 millimeters of rain on January 12.

Fine dust concentrations will remain at 'good' to 'moderate' levels nationwide due to smooth atmospheric dispersion.

Wave heights will range from 1.0 to 3.5 meters in the East Sea, 0.5 to 3.5 meters in the West Sea, and 0.5 to 2.5 meters in the South Sea. In the offshore areas (about 200 kilometers from the coastline), wave heights will be 1.5 to 5.0 meters in the East Sea, 1.0 to 3.5 meters in the West Sea, and 1.5 to 3.5 meters in the South Sea.