A severe cold wave gripped South Korea on Friday, January 2, 2026, with temperatures plunging and heavy snow falling in southern regions including South and North Jeolla provinces and Jeju Island, according to the weather agency. As of 8 a.m., Seoul recorded minus 11.2 degrees Celsius, while some areas saw near minus 15 degrees Celsius.
Cold air from the northwest caused temperatures to plummet across the country, the Korea Meteorological Administration said. Additional readings as of 8 a.m. included minus 11.4 degrees Celsius in the western city of Incheon, minus 7 degrees Celsius in the southwestern city of Gwangju, and minus 6.1 degrees Celsius in the southeastern city of Busan.
Temperatures fell to near minus 15 degrees Celsius in some parts of Gyeonggi Province surrounding the capital, the eastern province of Gangwon, and northeastern parts of North Gyeongsang Province. Daily highs are forecast to reach minus 5 to plus 4 degrees Celsius. The cold wave is expected to continue through Saturday morning, with temperatures forecast to reach as low as minus 14 degrees Celsius before easing later in the day as winds change direction and blow eastward.
Heavy snow alerts have been issued for western parts of the southern provinces of South and North Jeolla, the southern resort island of Jeju, and the eastern islands of Ulleung and Dokdo. As of 8 a.m., 30.1 centimeters of snow fell on Ulleung Island, 13.3 centimeters on Samgak Peak of Mt. Halla on Jeju, and 12 centimeters on Jangseong County in South Jeolla Province.
An earlier report at 5 a.m. showed Seoul at minus 10.6 degrees Celsius and Chuncheon at minus 13.6 degrees Celsius. Western coastal areas, including those in South Chungcheong and North Jeolla provinces, are expected to see rain or snow, with 2 to 7 centimeters of snow forecast for the wider Jeolla region through Saturday, and 5 to 10 centimeters for Jeju, Ulleung, and Dokdo. The alert covers most parts of the nation, including the broader Seoul area, Gangwon, and North Chungcheong.
