Seoul’s morning low plunges to lowest in 64 years

“The October cold spell,” which sent the morning low in Seoul to the lowest level (1.3 degrees Celsius) in 64 years, will recede temporarily on Monday afternoon. A second cold spell, however, will come from Wednesday. Temperatures are forecast to return to the normal level across the nation on October 24.

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration on Sunday, the nation embraced early winter-like weather on the day with morning lows, plunging more than 10 degrees Celsius from Saturday due to cold air flowing in from the north. Morning lows in Seoul came to 1.3 degrees Celsius, or 8.9 degrees Celsius lower than the average temperature for this time of the year in other years. The temperature was the lowest level in mid-October in 64 years since October 19, 1957, when the mercury hit minus 0.4 degrees Celsius. With gusty winds, wind chill plummeted to minus 4.4 degrees Celsius in Seoul on Sunday morning.

Due to plunging temperatures, first ice of this fall was monitored in Seoul on Sunday, which was 17 days earlier than the average in other years. First ice and first frost were monitored in northern Chuncheon, Gangwon Province and Andong, North Gyeongsang Province. The premature cold spell of this season will continue through Monday morning.


1am@donga.com