On Monday, March 17, 2025, at 7:50 AM, heavy snow warnings were issued across Gangwon-do and parts of Gyeongbuk, signaling severe weather conditions for various regions. Residents of these areas braced for adverse weather as forecasts indicated potential rain and snow throughout the day.
Specifically, precipitation was expected to affect Ulleungdo and the mountainous regions of Jeju-do until the morning hours. Rain and snow were also anticipated to spread across Gangwon-do, northern Gyeongbuk, and southeastern Gyeongbuk’s coast until later this afternoon. Local forecasts predict drizzle of up to 0.1mm or light snow cover of about 0.1 cm might occur in southern Gyeongbuk until early today.
The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) detailed the expected snowfall accumulations for Monday: Gangwon-do mountains and eastern coasts were projected to receive 5 to 15 cm, with 3 to 8 cm expected inland. Northern Gyeongsang mountains and coasts may similarly see 5 to 15 cm. Smaller amounts of snow were forecasted for areas like Ulleungdo and its surrounding islands, and the Jeju mountains, which might receive up to 1 cm of snow.
Rainfall estimates until this afternoon suggest Gangwon-do mountains and coasts could see between 5 to 10 mm of rain, with lower amounts inland. Similar predictions of 5 mm are made for northern Gyeongsang, with other areas such as southeastern coastal Gyeongbuk and Ulleungdo expecting roughly 5 mm near the coast. These conditions prompted officials to issue safety advisories particularly aimed at unexpected traffic disruption due to slippery roads.
From late Monday evening, forecasts indicated the possibility of rain and snow transitioning to most of the nation, with areas like the Seoul metropolitan area and Chungnam set to receive precipitation overnight. Expecting the weather to transition, these areas are to improve gradually starting from the evening hours, primarily clearing by late night.
For Tuesday, March 18, 2025, the KMA predicts continued cold weather with significant precipitation likely. The morning’s low temperatures are expected to range from -4 to 3 degrees Celsius, with daytime maximums anticipated to sit between 3 and 9 degrees Celsius. This chill would be considerably lower than the preceding day's temperatures, prompting various safety measures for those traveling or engaging in outdoor activities.
A snow accumulation of 3 to 10 cm is expected in regions like Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Chungbuk, with northern Gyeongsang set to see as much as 20 cm of snow. Areas within the Gangwon mountains may witness even higher totals, some exceeding 30 cm. Given these predictions, residents have been advised about the potential for strong winds, gusting up to 72 km/h (about 20 m/s), particularly across coastal regions and Jeju island.
The threat of heavy snowfall brought about concerns for structural safety, with the KMA issuing warnings about the risk of collapses of weak structures like greenhouses and livestock shelters. There is also concern for downed branches or trees as well as traffic hazards from snow-covered or icy roads.
Despite the adverse weather, some parts of the country benefitted from mild air quality levels due to favorable atmospheric conditions. Generally, pollutants are expected to remain low, leading to relatively clean air across much of South Korea.
On the sea, maritime warnings have been issued as well. Waves are expected to rise substantially, with coastal areas seeing heights of 1.5 to 4.0 meters. Caution is advised for those operating boats, as high wave conditions will present hazards.
Weather forecasts assure citizens of the changing patterns, with conditions expected to start clearing toward the middle of the week, but not before utmost attention is paid to safety during this unstable weather period. The outlook for March 19 indicates clearer skies are expected, providing some psychological relief following heavy weather.
Overall, the weather patterns observed reflect the unpredictability often seen during early spring, with cold snaps and precipitation such as snow and rain outlining the delicate balance of seasonal transitions.