Gyeonggi-do Experienced the Coldest Winter in the Past 5 Years

Gyeonggi Provincial Government Gwanggyo New Office Building

The average temperature in the Gyeonggi region last winter was the lowest in the past five years.

Gyeonggi Province announced on the 19th the results of the comprehensive snow and cold wave countermeasures implemented during the winter natural disaster prevention period (November 15, 2022 ? March 15, 2023).

Comparing this with data from the past 10 years of countermeasure periods, the average temperature in Gyeonggi Province during the 2022?2023 winter countermeasure period was -1.9°C, lower than the normal average (-1.3°C over 30 years).

By year, the average temperatures were -3.8°C in 2012?2013 and -3.2°C in 2017?2018, making last winter the third lowest.

The lowest temperature by region last winter was recorded in Pocheon (Ildong) at -23.4°C on January 25.

The number of snowfall days was 23, the second highest after 26 days in 2020?2021, while precipitation was only 48.3 mm.

Cold wave warnings lasted 53 days, exceeding the recent 10-year average of 41.6 days. Snowfall warnings were in effect for 14 days, also surpassing the recent 10-year average of 7.8 days.

There were no casualties due to snow last winter, but 93 people suffered cold-related illnesses (including 2 deaths) due to the cold wave.

Water supply facility freeze damage increased to 2,682 cases, including 2,632 meter damages and 50 water pipe damages, compared to 2,178 cases the previous winter.

The province and local governments secured 213,468 tons of deicing agents and spread 142,134 tons across all local governments in the province, covering 468 habitual freezing sections, 254 boundary roads between local governments, and 38 major connecting roads in the metropolitan area.

As a cold wave measure, heating costs of 2.7 billion KRW were additionally supported for 6,802 senior centers designated as cold wave shelters, the first such support by local governments. Additionally, 1.3 billion KRW from the special disaster safety grant was invested to expand cold wave mitigation facilities such as heated chairs and windbreak installations.

Yeon Je-chan, Director of the Provincial Safety Management Office, stated, "Although we responded proactively in cooperation with related agencies such as the Seoul Regional Land Management Office and local governments, it is regrettable that some casualties occurred. We will reflect on the shortcomings in the 2023?2024 winter countermeasure period to build a more thorough safety net."

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