Nation braces for week of rain, snow

People cover their heads from the rain near Seoul Station, Sunday. Yonhap

Winter precipitation is expected to drench the nation throughout this week, with most regions anticipated to experience rain or snowfall, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA).

The heavy rain that began on Sunday is expected to continue through Monday, coinciding with "Woosoo," one of the 24 seasonal divisions in the traditional Korean lunar calendar meaning "start of spring rain" in Korean.

Seoul and its surrounding regions may experience up to 60 millimeters of rain, while other areas including Gwangju, South Jeolla Province, Busan and Ulsan are expected to receive around 80 millimeters. Mountainous regions of Jeju Island may see over 150 millimeters of rain and the island's lowlands are expected to receive between 30 millimeters and 100 millimeters.

Between Tuesday and Friday, a northeasterly wind is expected to bring up to 10 centimeters of snow in eastern Gangwon Province. Heavy snowfall is anticipated for the capital area and the central regions from Wednesday night to Thursday morning.

While the nation experienced warmer-than-usual temperatures over the weekend, the mercury is set to drop sharply on Tuesday morning, bringing back the winter cold.

The state weather agency warned that temperatures on Tuesday are expected to be approximately 5 to 10 degrees lower than the previous day, emphasizing the need for special attention to personal care due to the sudden temperature drop.