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Season's first snow hits Seoul, traffic congestion expected Friday morning

Published: 04 Dec. 2025, 19:27

A ski resort in Hongcheon, Gangwon, begins full winter operations as it makes snow on its slopes on Dec. 4, with morning temperatures dropping below freezing. [YONHAP]

Strong snowfall of up to 5 centimeters (1.97 inches) an hour hit Seoul and the surrounding metropolitan area Thursday evening — the season’s first snow — raising concerns of traffic congestion as roads may freeze overnight in subzero temperatures through Friday morning.

Lee Chang-jae, a forecast analyst at the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), said in a regular briefing Thursday that “a low-pressure system approaching in the afternoon will bring heavy snowfall of 1 to 3 centimeters per hour to the greater Seoul area and inland and mountainous parts of Gangwon,” adding that “the heaviest snowfall is expected around 6 p.m., during the evening commute, so extra caution is advised.”

A heavy snow advisory has already been issued for the five islands in the Yellow Sea, where snow clouds have begun to move in. Because the snow bands are narrow and fast-moving, snow is expected to fall intensely over a short period of time, with some areas potentially seeing snowfall of up to 5 centimeters an hour.

Forecast accumulation for Seoul and other central regions ranges from 1 to 5 centimeters, while northern and eastern Gyeonggi and northern Gangwon — where temperatures are lower — may see as much as 8 centimeters. The KMA issued preliminary heavy snow alerts for Yeoncheon and Pocheon in Gyeonggi and Cheorwon, Hwacheon and Yanggu in Gangwon.

This year's first snowfall on Thursday comes about two weeks later than the seasonal average of Nov. 20. Last year, the first snow was observed on Nov. 26. Most snowfall is expected to taper off by nighttime.

Areas in the Jeolla region and other parts of the south — which saw snow Wednesday — are forecast to receive an additional 1 centimeter or so, accompanied by strong winds that may create blizzard-like conditions in some places.

A ski resort in Hongcheon, Gangwon, begins full winter operations as it makes snow on its slopes on Dec. 4, with morning temperatures dropping below freezing. [YONHAP]

Snowfall arriving at around the evening rush hour has raised concerns of severe traffic delays. As temperatures plunge overnight, the snow that is falling is unlikely to melt, meaning roads could turn icy for the Friday morning commute as well. The KMA advised the public to “use public transportation whenever possible.”

“Traffic conditions will remain hazardous today due to icy roads and snowfall, but people should be especially cautious early tomorrow morning as precipitation from the night may freeze over, creating black ice,” Lee said.

The cold snap is expected to persist through Friday before easing over the weekend. Temperatures in Seoul are forecast to climb sharply, reaching 12 degrees Celsius (53.6 degrees Fahrenheit) during the day on Sunday.

“On Saturday and Sunday, mild westerly winds will lead daytime temperatures to rise by up to 10 degrees compared to now,” Lee said. “But another cold spell is expected next weekend as cold air moves down from the north.”

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]]