Visitors stroll through the snow-covered grounds of Gyeongbokgung in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on Sunday morning following an overnight snowfall. (Newsis)
Visitors stroll through the snow-covered grounds of Gyeongbokgung in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on Sunday morning following an overnight snowfall. (Newsis)

The Korea Meteorological Administration issued a heavy snow advisory Sunday for the greater Seoul area.

As of 9 a.m., the advisory covered Seoul, most parts of Incheon, northern Gangwon Province, and parts of Gyeonggi Province. Snowfall is expected to continue through Monday, with accumulations of 3 to 10 centimeters forecast in Gyeonggi and Gangwon Provinces, 3 to 8 centimeters in Seoul, and 1 to 5 cm in Incheon.

In response, the Interior Ministry activated the first level of operations at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters at 8 a.m. and raised the heavy snow crisis warning from “attention” to “caution” for the Seoul metropolitan area and Gangwon Province.

Snowfall is expected to remain heavy through Sunday morning but should gradually subside by late afternoon. Daytime highs are forecast to range between 3 and 11 degrees Celsius, according to the weather agency.

The Korea Meteorological Administration warned that heavy snow may cause tree branches along roads to break, posing risks to pedestrians. Officials urged the public to use public transportation where possible, as roads are likely to be slippery.


shinjh@heraldcorp.com