South Korea faces subfreezing start; snow in Gangwon, rain inland.
South Korea’s weather agency forecast a cold start to Thursday the 12th, with subfreezing temperatures in many areas and a warm-up by midday. The Korea Meteorological Administration says temperatures will run from morning lows around -3°C to 5°C, rising to daytime highs of 7°C to 13°C across much of the country.
In major cities, temperatures are projected as follows: Seoul morning around 1°C with a high near 13°C, Incheon about 1°C–12°C, Daegu around 2°C–12°C, Busan about 5°C–13°C, and Ulsan around 3°C–11°C. Jeju is expected to start near 6°C and reach about 11°C by afternoon. Northern inland areas such as Cheorwon may stay near -3°C in the morning, while Wonju and Jeonju hover near 0°C.
Cloudiness will be variable across the central and western regions, with Gangwon’s east coast and inland mountains, as well as the eastern coast of North Gyeongsang and nearby northeastern highlands, likely to see rain or snow in the morning. From the afternoon into the evening, rain is forecast to spread to the central and southern inland areas, including Daejeon, Sejong, and parts of Chungcheong, as well as eastern Chungbuk and eastern Jeolla; some parts of the rest of the Gyeongsang region could also see precipitation.
Snow and rain totals for the next 24 hours are expected to be uneven. The forecast calls for 5–15 cm of snow on Gangwon’s mountainous areas, with the heaviest accumulation possibly exceeding 20 cm in some spots. The northern part of Gangwon’s east coast could see 1–3 cm, while Ulleungdo and Dokdo islands may accumulate 3–8 cm. Inland northeastern Gyeongbuk could see 1–5 cm. Across the broader forecast region, rainfall totals are expected to range from about 5–20 mm on parts of the Gangwon east coast and mountains to around 1 mm in some central inland areas, with higher amounts (5–20 mm) along parts of the eastern seaboard and southern coast. Busan and Ulsan are projected to receive roughly 5–10 mm, with other inland and eastern areas receiving lighter totals.
Air quality is likely to be poor in several areas this day, with PM2.5 listed as “bad” in Seoul, Incheon, southern Gyeonggi, the Chungcheong region, Gwangju, and Jeollabuk-do, while other areas are expected to be “moderate.” However, in northern Gyeonggi, western Gangwon, Daegu, parts of Gyeongbuk and Gyeongnam, poor air quality is anticipated mainly in the morning; Jeollanam-do and Jeju are forecast to see poorer air later in the day or at night.
Dry conditions are also anticipated to be widespread, with an especially dry regime in Daegu and the southern coast of the Gyeongsang region, as well as parts of the central and southern coast. The agency warns that thunder and lightning are possible in the southern and eastern Gyeongsang regions during the afternoon, and that rainfall amounts can vary significantly between neighboring areas, so people should check the latest forecasts for updates.
Why this matters beyond Korea: South Korea’s weather affects global supply chains and markets through its role as a major manufacturing hub for electronics, semiconductors, and automotive components, as well as a major logistics gateway via ports like Busan and Incheon. Heavy snow in Gangwon’s mountainous areas can disrupt road and rail transport, impacting shipments of components used in U.S. electronics and automobiles. Rain and snowfall can also affect port operations and warehouse logistics, with potential knock-on effects for consumer electronics and auto production cycles in the Asia-Pacific region. In addition, air quality concerns and dry conditions have implications for health, energy demand, and safety, all of which can influence market sentiment and policy discussions on climate adaptation and resilience. The forecast underscores how weather conditions in one region can ripple through global manufacturing, logistics, and financial markets.