South Korea faces mixed Friday forecast: rain, snow, and wide temperature swings.
The Korea Meteorological Administration says that Friday the 13th will bring differing conditions across the peninsula. Central regions are expected to be mostly clear, turning cloudy in the afternoon, while southern regions and Jeju Island will see occasional cloudiness. Morning rain is forecast for Busan and Ulsan, with rain or snow in the afternoon along the Gangwon coast and mountains and on the eastern coast of North Gyeongsang (Gyeongbuk) and the northeastern mountains. The East Sea coast is expected to remain generally cloudy.
Snow is anticipated in limited amounts: about 1 centimeter along the mid-eastern Gangwon coast, and 3 to 8 centimeters on Ulleungdo and Dokdo.
Rain totals through Friday vary by region. The forecast calls for roughly 5 to 20 millimeters across the Gangwon eastern coast, Gangwon mountain areas, the eastern coast of Gyeongbuk, and Ulleungdo and Dokdo; 5 to 10 millimeters in Busan and Ulsan; around 5 millimeters in Daegu, inland Gyeongbuk and Gyeongnam; and about 1 millimeter or so in Daejeon, Sejong, southeastern inland Chungnam, Chungbuk, and eastern Jeollanam and Jeonbuk.
Temperatures will swing notably, with inland areas showing a diurnal range of up to about 15 degrees Celsius as springlike conditions persist.
For the 13th, morning lows are forecast at minus 2 to plus 4 degrees Celsius, with daytime highs around 6 to 14 C. On the 14th, morning temperatures could fall to minus 4 to plus 4, with daytime highs near 9 to 15 C. The 15th is expected to start around minus 1 to plus 6 C, rising to about 9 to 15 C in the afternoon.
Looking ahead to mid to late next week (16th to 22nd), the pattern is expected to be largely clear across the country, with morning temperatures of minus 1 to 9 C and afternoon highs of 10 to 16 C. The forecast suggests the possibility of rain around the 15th to 16th and again on the 19th as high-pressure systems move in and out; on the 19th a low-pressure system moving across the southern part of Korea could shift where rain falls.
Why this matters beyond Korea: Korea is a major hub in global electronics and automotive supply chains, with manufacturing and exports that feed markets in the United States and worldwide. Weather disruptions can affect cross-border transport, port operations, and production schedules for goods ranging from memory chips to consumer electronics and vehicles. U.S. companies with supply chains or partnerships in Korea will want to monitor this forecast for potential impacts on shipments, scheduling, and risk planning. The forecasts also offer context for energy demand and consumer activity as spring-like conditions and temperature swings influence heating needs and consumer behavior.