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Air quality to worsen in Seoul, rain or snow expected from Thursday

Published: 04 Mar. 2026, 12:59

Red plum blossoms are covered with a blanket of snow in a village in Seongsan-myeon in Gangneung, Gangwon, on March 3. [YONHAP]

Rain or snow is forecast to fall across most of Korea from Thursday night, while fine dust blowing in from China is expected to worsen air quality in Seoul and other western regions from Wednesday afternoon, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said.

Precipitation will start Thursday night in the greater Seoul area as well as the Gangwon, Chungcheong and Jeolla regions before spreading to most parts of the country by early Friday morning, according to the KMA.

The rain and snow will gradually stop Friday morning in central regions and in the afternoon in the southern regions and on Jeju Island. However, eastern parts of Gyeonggi, Gangwon and northern North Chungcheong could see another round of precipitation between Friday afternoon and evening.

Snow is expected to accumulate mainly in colder inland and mountainous areas. Mountainous parts of Gangwon are forecast to receive between 3 and 8 centimeters (1.2 to 3.1 inches) of snow, while inland Gangwon and northern North Chungcheong could see 1 to 3 centimeters. Eastern Gyeonggi may receive around 1 centimeter of snow.

“A large amount of snow has already accumulated in mountainous areas of Gangwon, and additional snowfall is expected on Thursday and Friday, so people should take precautions to prevent damage,” the KMA said.

Pedestrians holding umbrellas cross a street in Jongno District, central Seoul, on the morning of March 2 as rain falls across most parts of Korea. [NEWS1]

In Seoul and other parts of the capital region, around 5 millimeters (0.2 inches) of light rain is expected. Southern regions may see up to 15 millimeters.

Small temperature differences could mean some neighborhoods receive rain while others see snow.

Temperatures on Thursday will drop to around 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit) in the morning before rising to as high as 16 degrees Celsius during the day, creating a temperature swing of more than 15 degrees. After the precipitation ends Friday, temperatures will gradually fall again from the afternoon.

Skies will be mostly clear nationwide over the weekend, though chilly conditions will persist, with Seoul’s daytime high expected to remain around 7 degrees Celsius. Clear weather is likely to continue for the time being under the influence of high pressure, with temperatures staying near seasonal averages.

Pedestrians wearing masks walk through Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul on Feb. 22, as a fine dust advisory is issued for Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi due to yellow dust. [YONHAP]

Meanwhile, fine dust concentrations are expected to increase in western and central regions as pollutants flow in from overseas.

On Thursday, ultrafine dust levels in Seoul, southern Gyeonggi, the Chungcheong region and North Jeolla are forecast to reach “bad” levels, defined as 36 to 75 micrograms per cubic meter.

"Most inland regions are expected to record daily average ‘bad’ levels on Thursday as overseas fine dust that entered the country the previous day combines with domestically generated pollutants and accumulates under stagnant atmospheric conditions," the National Institute of Environmental Research’s Air Quality Forecasting Center said.

High pollution levels are expected to continue Friday in western regions including Seoul before easing over the weekend as air circulation improves.

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]]