Cold wave hits Korea as temperatures dip below freezing point

People are pictured wearing heavy clothes to keep themselves warm against the cold weather at Gwanghwamun Square in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Tuesday. [YONHAP]

A cold wave hit Korea on Tuesday, bringing temperatures below the freezing point in some mountainous regions in Gangwon and Gyeonggi. The cold weather is likely to grip the country until Wednesday.

Seoul also saw the coldest weather of this fall with 3.8 degrees Celsius (38.84 degrees Fahrenheit), while the morning temperatures dipped below zero in northeastern Gyeonggi and the inland and mountainous areas in Gangwon, with Mount Seorak recording minus 6.6 degrees Celsius as of 5:58 a.m.

The lowest apparent temperatures in Seoul recorded 0.2 degrees Celsius, and Incheon hit minus 0.7 degrees Celsius.

Other parts of the country also recorded subzero temperatures, with Hwacheon County in Gangwon and Pocheon in Gyeonggi recording minus 0.9 degrees Celsius and minus 0.3 degrees Celsius, respectively, at around 7 a.m.

Sokcho in Gangwon and Seogwipo of Jeju Island also had the coldest weather this season, with lows of 6.3 degrees Celsius and 12.7 degrees Celsius, respectively, and temperatures may drop further in the day.

The winter-like cold will peak Wednesday, with the morning lows forecast to range from minus 3 degrees Celsius to 9 degrees Celsius above zero, and temperatures are expected to climb during the day to reach 13 degrees Celsius to 19 degrees Celsius in the daytime, a level similar to average years.

Meanwhile, strong winds are expected to continue throughout the morning, with most regions seeing gales with instantaneous wind speed of 55 to 70 kilometers per hour (34.2 to 43.5 miles per hour).

High tides and gusts of wind will affect most waterfronts in the country throughout the day, with some areas facing inclement weather until Wednesday morning.

Wednesday marks Ipdong, the beginning of winter according to the lunar calendar.

BY YONHAP, LEE SOO-JUNG [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]