Early cold wave grips nation

Plants are covered with frost on Mount Halla on the southern resort island of Jeju, Sunday. Yonhap

By Bahk Eun-ji

Unseasonably low temperatures hit the country over the weekend, forcing people to put on their winter coats early, with cold weather alerts being issued in almost all regions.

On Sunday, Seoul's morning lows fell to 1.3 degrees Celsius, which is usually not seen until the end of November or early December. It was the lowest mid-October temperature in 67 years since 1.2 degrees was recorded on Oct. 13, 1954, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA).

With strong winds, the windchill was minus 3 degrees. The strong winds caused some property damage, breaking a window at a restaurant in Seongsu-dong in eastern Seoul on Saturday.

Northern Gyeonggi Province and some mountainous regions across the nation recorded subzero temperatures and had the season's first frost. The mercury at Mount Seorak in Gangwon Province nose-dived to minus 9.3 degrees.

The KMA issued cold wave alerts on Saturday evening for almost all parts of the country, with Seoul having a cold wave advisory in October for the first time in 11 years.

A cold wave advisory is issued when the morning lows are expected to fall by more than 10 degrees from the previous day and be lower than 3 degrees Celsius; when the morning lows are expected to remain lower than minus 12 degrees Celsius for at least two days; or when serious damage due to a sudden drop in temperatures is expected.

The KMA explained that cold air from Siberia moved southward to the Korean Peninsula, causing strong winds.

“Until early October, the subtropical high pressure from the south stayed for a longer-than-usual period, resulting in unusually hot weather. But this high pressure shrank and the cold and dry air from the north has blown in rapidly, resulting in a sharp drop in temperature and strong wind,” a KMA official said.

The KMA lifted all cold wave advisories Sunday afternoon, but said the cold snap will continue until Monday morning. Although the chill will be relieved on Monday afternoon, rain is forecast on Tuesday in some parts of the country, and the morning lows will again fall below 5 degrees on Wednesday and Thursday.

The temperature will begin to rise again afterward and the upcoming weekend is expected to see annual average temperatures.