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Cold snap hits Korea as unseasonal chill sweeps country

Published: 31 Mar. 2025, 10:49

LIM JEONG-WON
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A magpie eats intact petals from among magnolia flowers that were damaged by the sudden cold snap in a park in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi, on March 31. [YONHAP]

Magpies have been seen in the Gyeonggi area picking off intact petals from magnolia flowers that were damaged by the sudden cold spell that swept the country on Monday morning.

The Korea Meteorological Administration forecast that temperatures will be 3 to 6 degrees lower than average as cold air moves south from the northwest, but will return to average temperatures from the afternoon of April 1. Inland areas are expected to see a large daily temperature range of around 15 degrees Celsius (59 degrees Fahrenheit).

There will be occasional clouds across the country throughout Monday and most areas will see morning temperatures below zero degrees.

The lowest morning temperature is forecast to be between -5 to 3 degrees, and the highest daytime temperature is forecast to be 11 to 16 degrees.

Magnolia flowers are seen turned brown due to cold damage from the sudden cold snap at a park in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi, on March 31. [YONHAP]

In inland areas across the peninsula, the temperature difference between day and night will be over 15 degrees, and there will be frost between dawn and morning in some places.

The air will be very dry in the metropolitan area and Gangwon's eastern coast, southern Gangwon's inland and mountainous areas, Chungcheong's inland, eastern Jeolla and Gyeongsang, where a dry weather advisory has been issued. The dry weather advisory is likely to expand to other regions as well.

A magpie looks for intact petals among magnolia flowers that were damaged by the sudden cold snap in a park in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi, on March 31. [YONHAP]

Since the wind is also strong, small sparks can turn into large fires, so special care should be taken to prevent fires such as wildfires, authorities warned.

The fine dust concentration will be at "good" to "normal" levels nationwide.

Pedestrians wearing thick clothing walk along a sidewalk behind flowers planted in Jongno District, central Seoul, on the morning of March 31, when cold spells were rampant across the country. [YONHAP]

A magpie eats intact petals from among magnolia flowers that were damaged by the sudden cold snap in a park in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi, on March 31. [YONHAP]