A biting cold with temperatures below freezing has gripped the nation for two consecutive days.

As temperatures plummeted nationwide, snow fell on Mount Halla in Jeju and Mount Jiri in Gyeongnam, presenting an early winter landscape.

Despite it being mid-November, citizens out on the streets were heavily bundled up in parkas and scarves against the severe cold that resembled mid-winter.

First snow on Hallasan Mountain at 1100m altitude. Yonhap News. 

◇ Early Snowfall Ushers in Winter...First Heavy Snow Advisory for Hallasan

According to the Jeju Regional Meteorological Administration on the 19th, as of 10 AM today, snowfall in various locations on Mount Halla included 14.3 cm at Samgakbong, 12 cm at Sajebi, 10.6 cm at Hallasan South Wall, 10.2 cm at Yeongsil, and 0.9 cm at Seongpanak.

The daily low temperatures at various points on Mount Halla ranged from -4.6 degrees Celsius at Hallasan South Wall, -3.9 degrees at Wittseoreum, -3.2 degrees at Samgakbong, -3 degrees at Jindallae Bat, and -1.8 degrees at Yeongsil.

With the accumulation of snow, vehicle traffic was temporarily restricted on some sections of the 1100 Road, a mountain road. Small vehicles were prohibited from passing, and large vehicles were only allowed to proceed if equipped with winter tires. Traffic is now proceeding normally.

The first heavy snow advisory for Jeju's mountain areas, issued the previous night, was lifted at 4 AM this morning.

Mount Jiri also experienced its first snow of the season, ten days earlier than last year, due to the premature cold spell.

First snow of the year on Mount Jiri. Courtesy of Jirisan National Park Gyeongnam Office. 

According to the Gyeongnam Office of Jirisan National Park, the first snow began to fall in the Jirisan area of Sancheong-gun, Gyeongnam, on the 17th and continued into the following day.

Snow accumulated to about 1 to 5 cm on higher elevations above 1,400 meters.

This year's first snow on Mount Jiri arrived about ten days earlier than last year's first snow on November 27th.

At the Sesakdae Shelter within Jirisan, rime ice, or frost flowers, was observed on tree branches due to a sharp drop in temperature, with the lowest temperature recently recorded at -8.9 degrees Celsius.

"Due to the early snowfall this year compared to last, the trails are very slippery, and the perceived temperature reaches -15 degrees Celsius," said Lee Jae-seong, head of administration at the Gyeongnam Office of Jirisan National Park. "We urge hikers to visit with all necessary safety equipment thoroughly prepared."

According to the Gwangju Regional Meteorological Administration, the first snow of this winter also fell at the manned observation post in Mokpo, South Jeolla Province, around 2:15 AM today.

However, the snow mixed with rain and melted immediately, so no snow accumulation was recorded.

The first snow in the Mokpo region occurred 24 days earlier than last year and 10 days earlier than the average.

A warm meal amidst the sudden cold. Yonhap News. 

◇ Farmers Busy with Early Winter Chill...Commuters Heavily Bundled Up

With early winter temperatures dropping below freezing in most areas, farms are also busy, concerned about potential frost damage.

Ahead of the kimchi-making season, a farm in Chungbuk was actively engaged in preventative measures, such as early harvesting of crops or covering radishes with insulation to prevent them from freezing.

A farmer in San-oe Province, Boeun-gun, Chungbuk, said, "We quickly harvested our kimchi radishes and dried the radish greens."

In the Gangwon region, where morning lows have dropped to -10 degrees Celsius for two consecutive days, ski resorts preparing for winter opening were busy with snow removal operations to welcome visitors.

Due to the early arrival of winter, citizens in some areas, including the Seoul metropolitan area, were seen walking with their collars pulled up and their steps hurried, wearing parkas, jackets, gloves, and scarves.

Kim Seung-gun (35), a resident of Paju, Gyeonggi Province, where the morning temperature dropped to -8.1 degrees Celsius, commented, "Even though I'm wearing a parka and thick pants today, the wind is much stronger than yesterday, and it's definitely colder. My nose feels like it's freezing."

Park, a 40-something office worker commuting from Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province, to Jongno-gu, Seoul, said, "I left home wearing light clothes, but it was colder than yesterday, so I had to go back and get my parka. It really feels like winter has arrived."

The season for hand warmers. Yonhap News. 

At bus stops in the southern Gyeonggi region, where the cold has brought temperatures to around -5 degrees Celsius, commuters, armed with winter accessories, huddled together, waiting for buses.

Lee Dong-wook (38), who commutes to Seoul, said, "I wore a thicker jacket than usual because of the cold, but after about 10 minutes outdoors, all the warmth was gone."

Street food stalls in Dunsan-dong, Seo-gu, Daejeon, were bustling with office workers buying warm snacks like fish cakes and Bungeoppang from the morning.

The Korea Meteorological Administration forecast that the highest daytime temperatures today would be between 6 and 13 degrees Celsius, slightly lower than the average (8.3 to 15.1 degrees Celsius), making it chilly.

The strong winds will further lower the perceived temperatures, making it feel colder. In the central inland and Gyeongsang inland regions, the temperature difference between day and night will be significant, around 15 degrees Celsius.

Today, Ulleungdo and Dokdo are expected to receive less than 5 mm of rain, and the western coast of South Jeolla Province will receive about 1 mm of rain. In some areas of the southern western coast of Chungnam, the western coast of Jeonbuk, and the western part of Jeonnam, light rain of less than 0.1 mm or scattered snow of less than 0.1 cm is expected.

Jeju Island is expected to receive less than 5 mm of rain until tomorrow, and the mountainous areas of Jeju Island are forecast to receive about 1 cm of snow during the same period.

Yonhap News