Temperature drops below freezing in Seoul Tuesday

Time has come to bring out the heavy winter coats and mufflers, especially for the morning rush to work on Tuesday.

The National Meteorological Agency (NMA) has forecast freezing temperatures, the lowest this year, for all areas in Korea except Yongam region and the Cheju Island. By cities and regions, the NMA has predicted 4 degrees below zero for Seoul and Inchon, 6 below for Kang-won region, and 2 below for Chungchong and Honam regions.

For Seoul the morning low which recorded 4.6 degree Celsius on Monday is expected to drop 8 degrees on Tuesday morning and the expected strong wind in the morning is expected to add wind-chill factor making it much colder. The lowest temperature recorded this year was 0.7 degrees below zero in November. The mid-day low is expected to drop 5 degrees from previous day and record 4 ~ 13 degrees Celsius.

A meteorologist at the NMA explained that the high pressure front which dumped the weekend rain has moved off and has been replaced by the colder continental high pressure front advancing throughout the peninsula, resulting in clear sky and lower temperature. With the exception of snow or rain in certain parts of the western coast, clear sky with few scattered clouds throughout the peninsula.

The cold snap is expected to continue on Wednesday. With the cold front heading off toward the east, the temperature in the Kangwon region is expected to fall 6 ~ 8 degrees below zero and the temperature in Seoul is expected to remain at a freezing level of 2 degrees below zero.