Severe Cold Wave to Continue Through This Weekend... Easing Next Week

The severe cold snap that chills the body is expected to continue through this weekend.

On January 2, 2026, the first workday of the year, citizens are walking through the Gwanghwamun intersection in Seoul as temperatures drop sharply nationwide and strong winds blow, making it very cold. Photo by Yoon Dongju

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration on January 23, the morning low on the following day is forecast to range from -17°C to 0°C, and the daytime high from -5°C to 6°C. Cold wave advisories remain in effect for the Seoul metropolitan area, most of Gangwon Province (excluding the east coast), North Chungcheong Province, and the inland areas of North Gyeongsang Province. Morning temperatures are expected to hover around -10°C in central regions and inland North Gyeongsang, and between -10°C and -5°C in the east coast of Gangwon, South Chungcheong, and other southern regions. However, temperatures are expected to be slightly higher than at the peak of the cold wave.

The forecasted minimum and maximum temperatures for major cities are as follows: Seoul -11°C and -2°C, Incheon -9°C and -2°C, Daejeon -7°C and 1°C, Gwangju -3°C and 3°C, Daegu -5°C and 2°C, Ulsan -3°C and 3°C, and Busan -1°C and 5°C.

On the morning of January 25, the lowest temperatures are expected to range from -18°C to -2°C, and the highest from -6°C to 5°C. On Monday, January 26, the morning low will be between -15°C and -3°C, and the high between -4°C and 7°C. On January 27, temperatures will range from -12°C to 0°C in the morning and -5°C to 7°C in the afternoon, with the cold wave expected to ease somewhat.

On January 24, strong winds will blow nationwide. Gusts will reach around 55 km/h (up to 70 km/h in mountainous areas), lowering the perceived temperature. In particular, in the mountainous areas and east coast of Gangwon, and the northeastern mountains and east coast of North Gyeongsang, gusts are expected to exceed 70 km/h (up to 90 km/h in mountainous areas) from early morning on January 24, possibly prompting strong wind advisories. The air will also be dry, so caution is needed to prevent wildfires.

Rain or snow currently falling in the Honam region and Jeju is expected to spread to the Seoul metropolitan area, inland and mountainous areas of Gangwon, Chungcheong, and western inland Gyeongsang by night. In addition, snow (or rain in Jeju) is possible in southern inland Gyeonggi and southern inland and mountainous Gangwon in the early morning of January 24, in Chungcheong, Honam (excluding the west coast), western inland Gyeongsang, and Jeju in the morning, and on the west coast of Jeolla until the morning.

Expected snowfall by January 24 is as follows: Ulleungdo and Dokdo 2-7 cm; Gwangju, South Jeolla (excluding the eastern southern coast), North Jeolla, and mountainous areas of Jeju 1-5 cm; Incheon, the west coast of Gyeonggi, the five West Sea islands, southern inland and mountainous Gangwon, and Chungcheong 1-3 cm; eastern southern coast of South Jeolla and western inland of South Gyeongsang around 1 cm; and less than 1 cm in Seoul, inland Gyeonggi, central inland and northern inland Gangwon, central and northern mountainous Gangwon, western inland North Gyeongsang, and mid-mountain areas of Jeju.