Cold Snap and Fine Dust... Two Unwelcome Guests

Cold Weather Continues Until the Morning After Tomorrow

On the 22nd, when the morning low temperature in Seoul dropped to 4 degrees and the nationwide cold snap was in full swing, commuters hurried along the streets of Gwanghwamun, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] The last cold snap of this spring is expected to persist until this weekend.

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, the morning low temperatures on the 22nd were 4.1°C in Seoul, 5.4°C in Incheon, and 4.0°C in Daejeon, about 5 to 6 degrees lower than the average. Seoraksan (Yangyang) dropped to -9.6°C, while inland Gyeongsang areas such as Goryeong recorded -1.0°C and Uiseong -0.8°C.

The sudden cold weather is due to cold air from the north affecting South Korea. A high-pressure system coming from inland China and a low-pressure system developing near Hokkaido, Japan, have created a west-high east-low pressure pattern, continuously drawing down cold air. Daytime temperatures will not rise significantly, mostly remaining below 20°C. Due to the large pressure difference, strong winds will blow, making the perceived temperature 4 to 5 degrees lower.

The cold will continue until the morning after tomorrow. Many areas in eastern Gyeonggi and northern Gangwon will drop below 0°C, causing frost and ice to form, sustaining low-temperature phenomena. The morning low temperatures on the 23rd are forecasted to be between 0 and 7°C, and on the 24th between -1 and 7°C. Although winds will be somewhat strong over the weekend, temperatures are expected to return to average levels. The Korea Meteorological Administration anticipates that winds will gradually calm down starting next week.

Due to yellow dust originating from northeastern China, fine dust levels will reach 'bad' levels. On the early morning of the 22nd, yellow dust will enter the central region, causing Chungcheong, Honam, Daegu, and Jeju areas to be at 'bad' levels, while other regions are expected to be 'moderate.' However, the Seoul metropolitan area and Gangwon region will experience 'bad' levels from morning until early afternoon, and the Yeongnam region will reach 'bad' levels from the afternoon. From the 23rd onward, with smooth atmospheric dispersion, the entire country is expected to have 'moderate' levels.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.