First snow of winter falls in Seoul

The first snow of the season fell in many regions, including Seoul, Friday. The Korea Meteorological Administration explained that the first snowfall in Seoul, at 11:20 a.m., was observed earlier than usual.

Friday's measured precipitation in Seoul was not immediately available as of 3 p.m., but the KMA predicted about 1 centimeter of snowfall in the Greater Seoul area until Saturday.

The weather agency officially announces the first snow in Seoul when an observer at the Seoul Meteorological Observatory in Songwol-dong, Jongno-gu, directly sees the snow falling. Seoul saw the first snow of this year three days earlier than average and 12 days earlier than last year.

As of 11:20 a.m. on Friday, the first snow also fell in Incheon, Baengnyeongdo, Suwon, and Hongseong, South Chungcheong Province.

In Incheon, the snow came six days earlier compared to the average year and 12 days earlier than the last year. Baengnyeongdo, an island near North Korea, also saw the first snow a day earlier compared to the average year and 12 days earlier than the previous year.

The first snow in Suwon was four days earlier than usual and 16 days earlier than last year. Hongseong saw the first snow 12 days earlier than last year.

The KMA added that more areas would see their first snowfall on Friday, as clouds above the central West Sea were moving eastward at the speed of 40 kilometers per hour. As of 3 p.m., snow was falling strongly around the west coast of South Chungcheong Province, and strong snow is also expected in the Chungcheong area and the North Jeolla area until 6 p.m.