KMA "Heavy Snow Expected in Central Inland Areas from Early Morning to Morning on the 19th"

Heavy Rainfall Intensity in Northern Chungbuk, Southern Gyeonggi, and Gangwon Yeongseo
Heavy Snow in Inland Central Regions Above 200~300m Altitude or Below Freezing
Rapid Weather Changes Cause Poor Visibility; Caution Needed for Road and Traffic Safety

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] From the early morning to the morning of the 19th, rain and snow are expected to be concentrated in the central inland areas. Since a large amount of snow is expected mainly in inland areas with low temperatures and regions at altitudes above 200m, preparations are necessary.

On the 18th, the Korea Meteorological Administration held an occasional briefing and forecasted that precipitation would be concentrated from the early morning to the morning of the 19th, mainly in the central inland areas where a low-pressure system containing cold air is descending to the surface and converging with easterly winds.

In addition to the heavy snow warning issued for the Gangwon Yeongdong region, precipitation intensity is expected to be strong in northern Chungbuk, southern Gyeonggi, and Gangwon Yeongseo regions. In Seoul, there is a possibility of more than 1cm of snow accumulation in northern and high-altitude areas.

Meteorological expert Han Sang-eun explained, "Usually, snow falls in areas where the temperature is minus 3 to 4 degrees Celsius at 800m above the ground, but this time, even in areas where rain was expected, it may change to snow. Especially, a lot of snow is expected in the central region at altitudes of 200 to 300m."

The expansion of the snow area is due to the fact that in regions with low altitude and surface temperatures above freezing, the precipitation intensity increases, causing the temperature to drop and rain to change into snow. Generally, temperature decreases with altitude, but as precipitation intensity increases, the upper cold air rapidly descends, lowering the temperature near the surface.

Another meteorological expert explained, "When precipitation intensity is strong at 1mm or more per hour, the surface temperature, which is 2 to 3 degrees Celsius above freezing, drops to 0 degrees. Due to 'wet adiabatic cooling,' where cold air rapidly descends to the surface at the start of precipitation, the temperature temporarily drops significantly, increasing the areas where rain changes to snow."

Expected snowfall amounts until the 19th are ▲10 to 30cm in the Gangwon mountain area and northeastern Gyeongbuk mountain area ▲3 to 8cm in southern Gyeonggi inland, Gangwon inland, and northern Chungbuk ▲1 to 5cm in northern Gyeonggi inland, Gangwon East Coast, northern inland Chungnam, central and southern Chungbuk, eastern Jeonbuk, inland Gyeongbuk, and Ulleungdo·Dokdo ▲around 1cm in Seoul, Incheon, western Gyeonggi coast, northern Gyeongbuk East Coast, and western inland Gyeongnam.

Until the 19th, 10 to 50mm of rain is expected in Gangwon Yeongdong, Gyeongbuk East Coast, and northeastern Gyeongbuk mountain areas, and 5 to 30mm nationwide elsewhere.

Currently, as rain cloud bands are moving in from the west, rain is falling in the Chungcheong region and southward from the afternoon to night of the 18th, and rain caused by a low-pressure system entering from the northwest will be concentrated from the early morning to the morning of the 19th. Rain is expected to begin stopping from the western regions in the afternoon tomorrow and mostly cease by evening.

A meteorological expert urged, "Due to rapidly changing weather, special caution is needed for traffic safety such as sudden visibility deterioration and slippery road conditions. Strong winds will blow mainly along the southern and eastern coasts until the 19th, and high waves at sea should be prepared for until the 20th."

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