Seoul: South Korea experienced heavy snowfall on Tuesday, coinciding with the Lunar New Year holiday, with up to 120 centimeters accumulating in the mountainous regions of Jeju Island.
Other parts of the country also faced significant snow, with over 10 centimeters falling in cities like Chungju, Wonju, and Daejeon, while Seoul recorded about 2.5 centimeters.
As of 8 a.m., areas under a snow advisory were seeing 1 to 3 centimeters of snow per hour, with some regions receiving up to 5 centimeters each hour. The weather forecast predicts that snow and rain will persist through Wednesday, with central and southern regions, including Daejeon, Sejong, Gwangju, and the Jeolla provinces, expecting an additional 15 centimeters of snow. Seoul, Incheon, and surrounding Gyeonggi Province may see an extra 3 to 8 centimeters.
A cold wave has also affected the nation, with morning temperatures ranging from minus 10 to 0 degrees Celsius. Daytime highs are anticipated to be between minus 5 and 6 degrees Celsius, according to Yonhap news agency.
Due to the severe weather, three flights have been canceled, and around 70 passenger ships on 56 sea routes have been suspended, as reported by the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters. Additionally, the entrances to 19 national parks across the country have been closed for safety reasons.
Lunar New Year marks the start of a new year according to lunar or lunisolar calendars. While both types typically begin with a new moon, lunar calendars have a fixed number of months, whereas lunisolar calendars can vary and periodically reset to align with the solar year. This celebration is observed in various cultures on different dates, with the timing of the new lunar or lunisolar year differing by tradition.