we can expect to see more snow this winter
Today, Seoul receives the most snow in November ever… 117 years of weather observation (comprehensive)
For tourists who are planning to visit Korea in the winter, when it snows is a very important question.
So today, I will briefly look at when it snows in Korea.
According to the Korea Meteorological Administration’s long-term forecast for December to February, temperatures this winter are expected to be generally average, but with a large range of fluctuations.
The average winter temperature in Korea is shown in the green line on the graph below.
When continental high pressures such as the Siberian High affect Korea, the weather is very cold. The characteristic of these continental high pressures is that they are dry, so they show clear weather.
On the other hand, when a warm high pressure zone develops in the southern inland of China in winter when the temperature is relatively low, it often snows instead of rain. This usually creates a hot and humid atmosphere.
So, we can see more snow falling between -1 and -2 degrees Celsius than in cold weather below -10 degrees Celsius.
So which month gets more snow?
This table shows the monthly snowfall in Seoul, the most visited city by tourists, using 30-year averages, 10-year averages, and 5-year averages, respectively.
Because the conditions for snowfall require moderately cold temperatures and humidity, the probability of snowfall is highest in December or January.
Looking at the average over the past five years, there are 7.4 snowfalls in December and 8 in January, making January more likely to see snow.
Which areas will get a lot of snow?
This is a table showing the average number of times it snowed in each region in Korea over the past five years.
As you can see here, Seoul has a relatively high snowfall rate of 25 times,
and among the areas near Seoul that are easy for tourists to visit, Nami Island and Gapyeong/Hongcheon, where Alpaca World and Vivaldi Resort are located, have a lot of snowfall.
In comparison, Busan has a much warmer climate than Seoul, with about 3 times per year.
Ulleungdo, which has 49 times, has a high humidity due to its island nature, so you can see that it has a lot of snowfall.
conclusion : DEC, JAN / SEOUL / NAMI ISLAND/ VIVALDI
Therefore, tourists who want to see snow in Korea during the winter can increase their chances of seeing snow by visiting Seoul or Nami Island and Vivaldi Resort in Hongcheon in December or January.
