Cold wave hits S. Korea; temperatures to further drop

South Korea braced for a cold wave on Saturday, with lower temperatures and heavy snow expected over the weekend, the state weather agency said.

The temperature was expected to fall as low as minus 5 C across the country on Saturday, with the highs in Seoul and Incheon staying at minus 3 C, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA).

Rain or snow was expected for the greater Seoul area and parts of Gangwon Province until 6 p.m. and late into the night in the western inlands of North Gyeongsang Province, it said.

More snow was expected for the country on Sunday, with up to 7 centimeters of snow expected in southwestern Gyeonggi Province and between 1 to 3 cm in Seoul, Incheon and northern Gyeonggi Province.

The southern island of Jeju and parts of South and North Jeolla Provinces were forecast to receive more snow, with more than 30 cm of snow expected to pile up in mountainous areas of Jeju.

The KMA said the temperature is likely to further drop on Sunday, with morning lows reaching between minus 3 and 17 C across the country. Morning lows were expected to be minus 12 C in Seoul, minus 16 C in the border city of Paju and minus 17 C in Cheorwon County of Gangwon Province.

A cold wave advisory will take effect in areas including Seoul, Busan, Daejeon and Daegu at 9 p.m. Saturday.

The advisory is issued when the morning low comes below minus 12 C for more than two consecutive days or when the temperature drops more than 10 C to below minus 3 C.