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Seoul ties record for coldest winter day this season with frigid week forecast

Published: 20 Jan. 2026, 18:26 Updated: 20 Jan. 2026, 19:38

The temperature display on “The Sphere,” a media art installation in southern Seoul, shows minus 10 degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit) on Jan. 20.

A severe cold wave began on Tuesday as Arctic air swept into the Korean Peninsula, with temperatures forecast to drop further on Wednesday as the bitter cold is expected to continue through the week.

Seoul recorded a morning low of minus 11.8 degrees Celsius (10.8 degrees Fahrenheit) on Tuesday, tying with Dec. 26, 2025, for the coldest temperature this winter, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA).

The apparent temperature — the "feels like" temperature — fell to minus 20.3 degrees Celsius at the KMA's weather station in Dongjak District, southern Seoul, due to strong winds.

Cold wave advisories covered most of the country, including Seoul, while higher-level cold wave warnings were issued for northern Gyeonggi and much of Gangwon.

Tuesday marked the day of Daehan, a seasonal marker on the lunar calendar that means “great cold" and is traditionally considered the coldest day of the year. However, a Korean proverb says Sohan, or “minor cold,” which falls about 15 days earlier, is often colder in practice. This winter, though, proved that wrong.

In fact, on Jan. 6, the day of Sohan, Seoul’s morning low stood at minus 2 degrees Celsius. In contrast, Tuesday marked the coldest Daehan in Seoul since 2004, when the temperature hit minus 16 degrees Celsius. It also ranked as the fourth coldest Daehan since the KMA began nationwide observations in 1973.

The temperature display on “The Sphere,” a media art installation in southern Seoul, shows minus 10 degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit) on Jan. 20. [NEWS1]

Meteorologists attributed the intensity of the cold wave to a west-high, east-low pressure pattern that is drawing Arctic air southward along northerly winds. A high-pressure system east of the Korean Peninsula is trapping cold air over the region, intensifying the chill.

The cold is forecast to peak on Thursday. Morning temperatures in Seoul are expected to drop to minus 13 degrees Celsius on Wednesday and minus 14 degrees Celsius on Thursday, setting new lows for this winter.

With strong winds, the apparent temperature in parts of the capital region could fall to minus 24 degrees Celsius. Subzero temperatures below minus 10 degrees Celsius are expected to continue through the weekend.

“Cold wave alerts will likely remain in effect across much of the central region of Korea, and strong winds will make it feel even colder,” a KMA official said. “We advise older people and children with weaker immune systems to avoid outdoor activities and take precautions against the sharp drop in temperatures.”

Icicles form along the Han River near Gwangjin District, eastern Seoul, on Jan. 20. [NEWS1]

Heavy snowfall is also expected along the western coast of South Jeolla and on Jeju Island from Wednesday to Thursday, as the large temperature difference between the Yellow Sea and the cold air above creates snow clouds.

Snowfall in coastal South Jeolla regions could reach 1 to 3 centimeters (0.4 to 1.2 inches) per hour early Wednesday morning, with total accumulation of up to 10 centimeters. Mountainous and midelevation areas of Jeju could see more than 20 centimeters of snow.

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]]