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| The Hantan River in Cheorwon County, Gangwon Province, is frozen on Friday due to snow and freezing temperatures in the region. Yonhap |
By Lee Hyo-jin
Korea is bracing for the coldest spell so far this winter as temperatures are expected to drop to as low as minus 17 degrees Celsius next week, contributing to harsh winter weather conditions for the Lunar New Year long weekend, which runs from Saturday to Tuesday.
As millions of people are expected to hit the roads to visit their families early Saturday morning, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) has warned of difficult driving conditions due to snow and frigid weather.
The state weather agency urged drivers to stay safe on the icy highways after snow fell between Thursday night and Friday morning in central inland regions. Though the regions received between one and three centimeters of snow, sub-zero temperatures have prevented it from melting quickly, it said.
The KMA predicts that Seoul's temperature will fall as low as minus 10 degrees Celsius on Saturday, and the mercury is expected to dip further in the next few days following an influx of cold air from the northwest accompanied by biting winds.
Morning lows on Tuesday, the last day of the long weekend, will plunge to minus 17 degrees, and daytime highs will not rise over minus 10 degrees.
The KMA is planning to issue a cold wave advisory nationwide on Tuesday. A cold wave advisory is issued when a daily low is expected to fall by 10 degrees or more from the previous day or is three degrees lower than the usual temperature for that time of the year.
On top of the frigid weather, parts of the nation such as Jeju Island may see heavy snowfall on the last day of the long weekend, possibly damaging farmland and buildings. The authorities also warned of possible travel disruptions for those planning to visit the island via plane or ship.
