A woman and her son wearing warm winter clothes walk in Seoul on Thurrsday as weather authorities issued the first cold wave warning of the season, with the mercury dropping to an intraday low of minus 12 C in the South Korean capital. YONHAP/ANN Photo

SEOUL — The season's coldest weather gripped the nation on Thursday with temperatures plunging below minus 10 C in Seoul and the northern regions.

As of 8 am the lowest temperature in Seoul was minus 10.2 C and the lowest apparent temperature minus 16.7 C, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA).

A cold wave advisory took effect for all of Seoul at 9 pm the previous day. An advisory is issued when a morning low of minus 12 C or less is expected for two or more consecutive days.

The lowest temperatures in other regions ranged from minus 16.9 C in the Daegwallyeong mountain pass in Gangwon Province to minus 13.6 C in Cheorwon and minus 13 C in Cheonan.

Further south, temperatures fell to as low as minus 6.8 C in Gwangju, minus 6.1 C in Ulsan and minus 4.7 C in Busan.

"The temperature fell below minus 20 C in parts of the mountainous regions of Gangwon, while in the central region, the eastern area of North Jeolla Province and the northern inlands of North Gyeongsang Province, it ranged from minus 15 C to minus 10 C, and in the rest of the country it fell to minus 5 C," the KMA said.

"Many parts of the country recorded their lowest temperatures of this winter," it added.

The cold snap is expected to continue for some time, with Thursday's daily high forecast to range from 3 C to 11 C and most of the country seeing subzero temperatures all day.

The South Chungcheong and Jeolla provinces, as well as the mountainous areas of Jeju Island, are forecast to receive snow for the fourth consecutive day, with up to 5 centimeters of snow per hour at times. — VNS