No white Christmas: South Korea to brace itself for cold snap from Dec 25 but snowfall unlikely
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Pedestrians walk on a snowy street as the season's first snow falls in downtown Seoul on Dec 4.
PHOTO: AFP
SEOUL – With Christmas falling on Dec 25, most of South Korea is unlikely to see snow again in 2025, the Korea Meteorological Administration said on Dec 23.
The weather agency said rain is expected on Christmas Eve while mostly clear skies are forecast for Christmas Day. Snow is expected only in some mountainous areas in Gangwon Province, mainly overnight between Dec 23 and 24.
The administration noted that white Christmases are uncommon in Korea. In Seoul, only 11 Christmas Days have recorded snowfall over the past 34 years since 1991.
Instead of snow, the country is set for a sharp cold snap beginning on Christmas Day. In Seoul, both daytime highs and overnight lows are forecast to dip below zero degrees Celsius from Dec 24.
The daytime high is projected to fall from around 6 deg C on Dec 24 to minus 1 deg C on Dec 25 before sliding further to around minus 4 deg C on Dec 26.
Overnight lows are forecast at minus 3 deg C on Dec 25 and minus 12 deg C on Dec 26.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency urged the public to take precautions against cold-related illnesses, after reporting the season’s first death from cold exposure last week.
The KMA also warned of icy road conditions, saying the rain on Dec 24 could freeze as temperatures plunge, raising the risk of accidents. THE KOREA HERALD/ ASIA NEWS NETWORK
