People wearing heavy winter jackets amid a sudden cold snap wait for the pedestrian signal in Seoul, Feb. 3. Yonhap

A cold spell gripped the nation Monday, which coincides with Ipchun, the onset of spring according to 24 seasonal divisions, with temperatures falling 3 to 10 degrees nationwide below the 30-year average, the state weather agency said.

The cold snap can be felt as much more severe, as temperatures were 2 to 5 degrees higher than usual over the weekend, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said.

Temperatures in Seoul, Incheon and Daejeon dropped to minus 4.8 degrees Celsius, minus 4.9 degress and minus 1.7 degress, respectively, on Monday morning, due to the influx of a cold northwest wind, the KMA noted, adding the mercury dipped below minus 10 degress in northern Gyeonggi Province and inland Gangwon Province.

The highest daily temperatures in Seoul and many other central regions will remain below zero, the agency said, while heavy snow is expected for three days on southern Jeju Island and the southwestern provinces of Jeolla.

The cold weather is expected to continue through Wednesday, the KMA said. (Yonhap)