South Korean capital hit by record November snowfall, grounding flights
SEOUL: South Korea's capital was blanketed on Wednesday (Nov 27) by the heaviest November snowfall since records began over a century ago, with more than 200 flights cancelled or delayed due to the weather conditions.
Cooler air moving in from the northwest turned rain into snow overnight, leaving 18cm on the ground by 3pm (2pm Singapore time), marking the biggest fall since records started being kept in 1907, the Korea Meteorological Administration said.
At least two people were reported killed in traffic accidents on highways east of the capital while falling debris from buildings and construction sites due to strong winds injured some pedestrians in Seoul, media reports said.
More than 200 flights were cancelled or delayed, most of them domestic as airports across the country experienced severe weather conditions, which also included strong wind, and at least 70 ferries serving islands were suspended.
In response to CNA's queries, Scoot said on Thursday that scheduled flights between Singapore and South Korea were still operating.
"As we continue to monitor the weather situation, we may make adjustments to our schedule due to weather considerations in Incheon," added a Scoot spokesperson.
"The safety of customers and crew is our priority, and we will continue to monitor the situation in South Korea closely and adjust our flight schedules as necessary."
Power was cut for thousands of households in several areas in Seoul and the central region as electricity lines were damaged by falling trees and snow-related causes, news reports said.
A heavy snow warning urged residents to "refrain from operating vehicles and engaging in outdoor activities" and to "beware of falling trees".
Such warnings are issued when snowfall accumulates to 20cm or more within 24 hours.
President Yoon Suk Yeol called on officials to "minimise potential damage and public inconvenience caused by the snow", as the heavy snowfall is expected to continue until Thursday morning.
The heavy snowfall was caused by the "significant temperature difference between the sea surface and the cold air", Youn Ki-han, director at Seoul's Meteorology Forecast Division, told AFP.
"Over the West Sea, moisture forms, and when cold air from the north moves down as it typically does, if the West Sea is also cold as in previous years, the temperature difference is smaller," said Youn.
However, due to the unusually warm temperatures in recent weeks, this difference became more pronounced.
Another factor behind the heavy snowfall, Youn added, is that "the strong snow was consistently carried by the westerly winds, pushing it into the Seoul metropolitan area".
"Snow kept falling in the same areas repeatedly, leading to greater accumulation."
Up to 20cm of additional snowfall is expected to fall around the capital, according to the weather agency.