A couple strolls along a street decorated with Christmas trees in Gwangju on Friday. (Yonhap)
A couple strolls along a street decorated with Christmas trees in Gwangju on Friday. (Yonhap)

Those hoping for a white Christmas in South Korea may miss out this year, as the country is expected to see no snow in the coming week despite cold temperatures.

The Korea Meteorological Administration forecasts mostly clear skies on Christmas Eve as a high-pressure system moves in from the west.

By Christmas Day, the high-pressure system is expected to have moved eastward and weaken, bringing cloudy skies across the country. However, despite these changes, no snow is expected on either day due to unfavorable atmospheric conditions, according to the KMA.

“For snow clouds to form, an air trough needs to move over the West Sea and develop cloud bands that bring precipitation to the western coast,” said KMA forecaster Kong Sang-min. “Currently, air currents are passing through inland North Korea, which is insufficient to generate the necessary cloud formations needed for snow over South Korea.”

Morning temperatures on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are forecast to drop to as low as minus 6 degrees Celsius, with daytime highs reaching 5 C on Christmas Eve and 3 C on Christmas Day.

The state weather agency noted that while these temperatures are cold, they remain close to or slightly below seasonal averages, which typically range from lows of minus 8 C to 2 C and highs of 3 C to 10 C.

The agency added that similar atmospheric patterns are expected throughout the week, limiting the likelihood of significant snowfall.

Monday will bring mostly cloudy skies and cold temperatures across the country, with morning lows dropping to around minus 10 C in central inland regions, including parts of North Chungcheong Province, eastern North Jeolla Province, and inland North Gyeongsang Province. Daytime highs are expected to hover between minus 1 C and 5 C accompanied by strong winds.

Temperatures are forecast to warm slightly on Thursday, with morning lows reaching minus 1 C, but the cold will return through Friday and the weekend.

The ongoing cold spell follows heavy snowfall this past Saturday, which brought frigid air across the country. Since then, temperatures have plummeted, with Seoul recording its lowest temperature of the season on Sunday morning at minus 7.5 C.

As of Sunday afternoon, cold wave warnings remain in effect for northeastern Gyeonggi Province, the entire Gangwon Province and northern North Chungcheong Province, where subzero temperatures are expected during the mornings throughout the week.


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