People walk near Gwanghwamun, Seoul on Friday morning after the cold wave advisory was issued. (Yonhap)
People walk near Gwanghwamun, Seoul on Friday morning after the cold wave advisory was issued. (Yonhap)

The cold wave reached its peak on Friday, with temperatures in Gangwon and northern Gyeonggi provinces dropping to around minus 20 degrees Celsius. In Seoul, temperatures have already dipped to this winter's lowest at around minus 12 C, with the wind chill making it feel even more frigid.

The cold wave is expected to persist through the weekend. Temperatures will remain below seasonal averages until Saturday before gradually rising to near-normal levels or slightly below starting Sunday.

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, the expansion of a cold continental high-pressure system from northern China will cause temperatures to drop sharply. Daytime highs will remain below zero across most regions.

The temperature in Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province fell to a bone-chilling minus 24.9 C at 7 a.m. Even the southern regions of Korea experienced severe cold. Morning lows in Gwangju and Busan hit minus 10.1 C, while Daegu and Ulsan fell to minus 10.7 C and minus 11.2 C, respectively.

Daytime highs are expected to range from minus 6 C to 4 C, with most regions hovering near freezing. However, areas like northeastern Gyeonggi and inland Gangwon Province are forecast to remain below minus 5 C even during the day.

In addition, the heavy snow in southwest regions caused at least 21 roads to be closed and at least 20 ferries to cancel their trips nationwide, according to the government estimate at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters as of 6 a.m. No injuries or deaths have been reported.

Jeju Island, which has already received significant snowfall, will continue to see intermittent snow on Friday. Snow is also expected in the late afternoon and evening along the western coastal areas of the Chungcheong and Jeolla provinces.

Snowfall could persist into Saturday morning along the west coast and Jeju Island. The western coastal areas of Jeolla Province may experience heavy snow during the night, with rates of 1 to 3 centimeters per hour.

By Sunday, snowfall is predicted to extend to South Chungcheong Province in addition to the western Jeolla coast and Jeju.

Strong winds and high waves are expected across most seas, with the East Sea experiencing powerful swells until next Monday. Coastal waves may surge over rocks, breakwaters and coastal roads, especially along the east coast.