Seoul Experiences Record-Breaking November Snowfall

Seoul has registered its most significant November snowfall since records commenced over a century ago in 1907. The South Korean capital was covered by at least 16 cm of snow on Wednesday, surpassing the city’s previous November record of 12.4cm from 1972. This event led to considerable disruption nationwide, with local media outlets reporting grounded flights, road closures, and delays affecting various transport services. Additionally, at least one fatality has been reported in a weather-related traffic accident near Seoul. Youn Ki-han, the head of Seoul’s Meteorology Forecast Division, informed the AFP news agency that the intense snowfall resulted from strong westerly winds and a “significant temperature difference between the sea surface and the cold air”. The snowfall is projected to persist throughout Wednesday night and into Thursday morning. This cold weather follows a period during which the region had been experiencing relatively mild autumn temperatures. Businessman Bae Joo-han commented on the sudden change, stating, “Just last week, I felt that the November autumn was a bit warm, but in just one week it feels like it’s turned into a winter wonderland, which was quite a contrast.” He added, “So I came out onto the streets today to enjoy the first snowfall of this winter.”