By Kim Young-won
The temperature in the capital Seoul on Monday was minus 7.1 degrees Celsius, the sixth-lowest temperature in early December since the nation’s weather agency started meteorological observations in 1907 in Seoul.
The lowest average temperature was recorded in 1944 with minus 10.4 degrees Celsius, followed by minus 8.8 in 1910, minus 8.5 in 1956, minus 8.3 in 1926, and minus 7.2 in 1937.
The temperature in the city dipped to a low of minus 11.8 degrees Celsius.
As a cold front swept across the nation, temperatures in other regions dropped well below zero degrees Celsius.
The temperature in Munsan, Gyeonggi Province, dipped to minus 18.3 degrees Celsius, Chuncheon in Gangwon Province minus 17.1 degrees Celsius, Jaecheon in North Chungcheong Province minus 20.8 degrees Celsius, and Bonghwa in North Gyeongsang Province minus 19.1 degrees Celsius.
The biting cold is expected to continue until at least Wednesday.
Cold spell advisories have been issued in the central regions, North Gyeongsang Province, and North Jeolla Province.
The cold snap may ease off as early as Wednesday and rain or snow is expected to fall Friday nationwide.
“Temperatures will temporarily rise as an area of low pressure trough passes through the peninsula from Friday to Saturday but will drop again next week, bringing another cold spell,” an official from the Korea Meteorological Administration said.
(wone0102@heraldcorp.com)