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Slippery morning rush hour expected with rain forecast in Seoul

Published: 14 Jan. 2026, 19:20 Updated: 14 Jan. 2026, 19:52

People walk through Gwanghwamun Square in Jongno District, central Seoul, as it snows on Jan. 12. [YONHAP]

Rain is forecast to fall across the greater Seoul area on Thursday morning due to a sudden rise in temperatures, raising the risk of black ice and dangerous road conditions during early morning travel, weather authorities warned Wednesday.

Rain and snow will begin late Wednesday in the inland and mountainous regions of Gangwon before expanding to the greater Seoul area, Chungcheong regions and southern areas by early Thursday, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA).

Most of the precipitation is expected to stop by Thursday morning.

Seoul and much of the capital region are likely to receive about 5 millimeters (0.2 inches) of light rain. The expected rainfall comes as warm southwesterly winds push Thursday's morning temperatures more than 10 degrees Celsius (18 degrees Fahrenheit) higher than Wednesday's.

Seoul’s morning low is forecast at 3 degrees Celsius, up from minus 9.4 degrees Celsius on Wednesday morning. In highland areas of Gangwon, up to 7 centimeters (2.8 inches) of snow could accumulate.

Forecasters warn of freezing rain — precipitation that falls as supercooled water droplets and freezes on contact with surfaces such as roads or sidewalks. If ground-level temperatures remain below freezing, black ice may form, creating hazardous conditions.

Workers spread calcium chloride at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul on Jan. 12 as snow falls. [NEWS1]

Black ice, often invisible to drivers, has a reputation for being especially dangerous. From 2019 to 2023, the fatality rate for traffic accidents involving icy roads was 2.4 percent — 1.7 times higher than the 1.4 percent rate for other road accidents, according to the Korea Road Traffic Authority.

In Seoul, concerns are heightened by a city bus strike expected to increase the number of vehicles on the road during rush hour. Drivers are advised to reduce speed, especially near tunnels, bridges and concrete road surfaces where black ice is more likely to develop.

“Temperatures are likely to stay above freezing in the lower atmosphere but drop below zero near the ground and at the surface,” said Woo Jin-gyu, a forecaster at the KMA. “This makes it very likely that black ice will form when rain hits the ground, so extra caution is needed through tomorrow morning.”

People walk through Gwanghwamun Square in Jongno District, central Seoul, using hoods and umbrellas as it snows on Jan. 12. [YONHAP]

Some experts warn that freezing rain may become more frequent in winter due to climate change.

“Freezing rain is particularly dangerous because it’s hard to detect, and road salt is often ineffective,” said Ban Ki-seong, CEO of K-Climate. “Now that black ice is occurring more often, we need to strengthen weather alerts and public communication systems.”

Separately, air quality is expected to deteriorate on Thursday due to fine dust blowing in from China.

Ultrafine dust concentrations are expected to rise to the “bad” level — between 36 and 75 micrograms per cubic meter — in Seoul, the surrounding capital area, inland Gangwon, the Chungcheong region, Gwangju and North Jeolla.

Health officials recommend avoiding extended outdoor activity and wearing a mask when going outside.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY CHON KWON-PIL [[email protected]]