A resident shovels snow on a road in Muan, North Jeolla Province, on Sunday. (Yonhap) A powerful cold wave will continue to grip South Korea on Monday, with morning temperatures expected to plunge as low as minus 14 degrees Celsius, extending a stretch of hazardous winter weather that has already claimed lives nationwide.
Monday’s morning low is expected to be below the average for this point in the season, ranging from minus 14 to minus 3 degrees C, with daytime highs forecast between zero and 10 C, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration. Seoul will see a low of around minus 9 C, with much of the country expected to see temperatures between minus 10 C and minus 5 C.
Inland and mountainous areas of Gangwon Province are expected to fall to around minus 15 C.
Snow or rain is expected across most of the central regions and North Jeolla Province, while South Chungcheong’s west coast is forecast to see precipitation throughout the day. Jeju Island is expected to see rain or snow.
Authorities warned that icy roads and black ice would pose serious risks to motorists and pedestrians, particularly where snow had already accumulated or melted and refrozen overnight.
The cold snap followed a weekend of severe weather that caused fatalities and extensive damage.
At least eight people were reported killed nationwide throughout the weekend due to weather-related incidents. In Gyeonggi Province, a man in his 20s died on Saturday after being struck by a sign torn loose by strong winds. A multi-car crash occurred on the Seosan-Yeongdeok Expressway in North Gyeongsang Province earlier in the day, leaving five dead and eight injured as of Sunday.
Police on Sunday launched an investigation into the crash, with the preliminary findings suggesting black ice as a potential cause.
The cladding of a multifamily housing unit in Gyeyang-gu, Incheon, is seen torn off by strong winds on Saturday. (Yonhap) Strong winds also fueled a wildfire in Uiseong, North Gyeongsang Province, forcing residents to evacuate as the flames spread rapidly. Fire authorities struggled to contain the blaze amid gusty conditions.
Damage reports poured in from across the country. Falling signs, collapsing walls and flying debris injured several people, while power outages affected nearly 2,000 households and businesses in parts of North Chungcheong Province. In North Gyeongsang Province alone, emergency services received more than 100 reports related to wind damage.
Air travel was also disrupted, with 19 flights canceled due to severe weather conditions, including routes connecting Jeju with Gimhae, Yeosu and Wonju.
With strong winds, heavy snow and extreme cold forecast to persist, authorities urged the public to remain vigilant, secure loose structures and avoid unnecessary travel as emergency agencies remained on high alert.
jychoi@heraldcorp.com