Asia-Pacific
Snow hits South Korea earlier than usual, harsh winter predicted
By
Stars and Stripes December 5, 2012
chang.yookyong@pstripes.osd.mil Yoo Kyong Chang Ashley Rowland
Stars and Stripes December 5, 2012
A worker clears snow outside the Dragon Hill Lodge at U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan early afternoon of Dec. 5, 2012. The first major snowfall of the season led to snarled traffic and closed schools at the Seoul base. (Ashley Rowland/Stars and Stripes)
A worker clears snow outside the Dragon Hill Lodge at U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan early afternoon of Dec. 5, 2012. The first major snowfall of the season led to snarled traffic and closed schools at the Seoul base. (Ashley Rowland/Stars and Stripes)
An airman enjoys the heavy snowfall as she tosses a snowball in the air at Osan Air Base, South Korea, during the first snowfall of the year in that area of the country. (Armando Limon/Stars and Stripes)
Two airmen walk down Songtan Boulevard as heavy snow falls Dec. 5, 2012, in South Korea. The snow led to the early closure of schools and various non-essential services across Osan Air Base. (Armando Limon/Stars and Stripes)
A street sweeper clears snow on Songtan Boulevard at Osan Air Base, South Korea, on Dec. 5, 2012. The heavy snowfall led to limited driving conditions across the base. (Armando Limon/Stars and Stripes)
A woman tosses salt outside the entrance of a restaurant near the Far East District Compound on Dec. 5, 2012, to prevent icing on the sidewalk. Snow began to fall heavily in Seoul around noon, causing slick sidewalks and roads and traffic jams. (Ashley Rowland/Stars and Stripes)
Traffic came to a near-standstill at U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan early afternoon of Dec. 5, 2012, as heavy snow caused slick roads. Between three and five inches of snow were expected to fall in Seoul. (Ashley Rowland/Stars and Stripes)
South Korean troops work in unison to shovel snow from a sidewalk in front of the Ministry of National Defense complex, not far from the entrance to U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan. Dec. 5, 2102, marked the first significant widespread snowfall of the season in South Korea, and additional snow was expected on the coming Friday and throughout the weekend. (Ashley Rowland/Stars and Stripes)
A South Korean man covers his head as he walks through snow near the Far East District Compound on the afternoon of Dec. 5, 2012. (Ashley Rowland/Stars and Stripes)
SEOUL — Snow snarled traffic at U.S. military bases across South Korea and led to closure of some Defense Department schools and non-essential services, marking the unofficial start of what forecasters say could be an unusually harsh winter.
Accumulations of 3 to 5 inches were expected across the peninsula, with additional snow possible in parts of the country Friday and Saturday, according to the 607th Weather Squadron.
At U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan, all Department of Defense Education Activity schools were closed in anticipation of bad weather. Snow began to fall fast and heavy around noon, and uniformed soldiers pushed some cars through slick patches. Yongsan schools will be on at least a two-hour delayed start Thursday for students and employees, according to DODEA-Pacific spokesman Charles Hoff said.
As of Wednesday afternoon, most other schools in South Korea were operating on a normal schedule.
Temperatures in Area II, which includes Seoul, were expected to drop to the mid-20s Wednesday and reach only the upper 20s Thursday.
This week’s cold snap follows the coldest November in nine years, with temperatures averaging nearly eight degrees below the same month last year, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration.
The KMA also is predicting an especially cold December and January, with heavy snow in some areas.
KMA forecaster Jang Hyun-sik blamed the cold stretch on the influence of melting ice in the Arctic Ocean. That melting contributes to increased southernly airflows from Siberia into much of Asia, including the Korean peninsula.
