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Heavy snow advisories issued for Seoul area leading to commute worries

Published: 06 Feb. 2025, 17:38 Updated: 06 Feb. 2025, 17:48

KIM MIN-YOUNG
[email protected]

Cars are stuck in traffic amid heavy snow in Jung District, central Seoul, on Feb. 6. Heavy snow advisories were issued in most of the country on Thursday, with some commuters worried over whether they could arrive home. [YONHAP]

Heavy snow advisories were issued in the Seoul metropolitan area as intense snowfall enveloped most of the country in a white blur on Thursday, with some commuters confused over whether they could arrive home.

The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) issued a heavy snow advisory for all of Seoul and 16 locations in Gyeonggi at 3:30 p.m. on Feb. 6.

At 2:30 p.m., a heavy snow advisory was issued for six cities: Goyang, Paju, Uijeongbu, Gimpo, Yangju, and Dongducheon. As of 3:30 p.m., the advisory expanded to Yongin, Seongnam, Namyangju, Ansan, Anyang, Guri, Gapyeong, Gwacheon and more regions in Gyeonggi.

A heavy snow advisory is issued when snowfall exceeding 5 centimeters (1.97 inches) is expected within 24 hours. A heavy snow warning is issued when 20 centimeters or more is expected in the same period, or 30 centimeters or more in mountainous areas.

Gyeonggi activated the Level 1 emergency response at its disaster safety headquarters at 1 p.m. The response team comprises 15 personnel overseeing roads, transportation and agriculture, with the provincial natural disaster response team leader managing operations.

People wait for the bus in the snow in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Feb. 6. Heavy snow advisories were issued in most of the country on Thursday, with some commuters worried over whether they could arrive home.[NEWS1]

Earlier Thursday, the KMA forecast that southern Gyeonggi would receive up to 10 centimeters of snow between noon and 6 p.m.

In Incheon, a heavy snow advisory was also issued at 2:30 p.m.

The snowfall affected other regions in the country as well.

A heavy snow advisory was issued at 2:40 p.m. in South Chungcheong, including Asan, Seosan, Dangjin, Hongseong, Yesan and Taean.

The KMA expected snowfall to be 3 to 8 centimeters in the mountainous areas of Jeju, 1 to 5 centimeters in mid-mountain regions and around 1 centimeter along the coast on Thursday morning.

The KMA forecast that the snow would continue into Friday, with accumulated snowfall in the Seoul metropolitan area and inland Gangwon ranging from 3 to 8 centimeters. Over 10 centimeters of snow is expected to stack up in southern Gyeonggi and mountainous regions of Gangwon.

The snowfall comes at the heel of this week's cold wave that began with Ipchun — the traditional onset of spring — on Monday and persisted across most of the country on Thursday, with temperatures remaining below freezing.

The KMA forecast on Thursday that, as cold air from the northwest moves southward, temperatures will remain 3 to 10 degrees Celsius (5.4 to 18 degrees Fahrenheit) lower than the seasonal average, bringing frigid conditions for the time being.

Daytime highs on Thursday ranged between minus 3 degrees and 5 degrees.

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [[email protected]]