This year’s first cold wave watch was issued early Thursday, with temperatures in inland regions dipping below zero, the Korea Meteorological Administration said.

Seoul marked 3.9 degrees Celsius at 11 a.m. on Thursday, down 10 degrees from the previous day’s morning low. 

For the first time this year, a cold wave watch was issued in the early hours Thursday for Hwacheon and Cheolwon in Gangwon Province and Yeoju and Yongin in Gyeonggi Province. A cold wave watch is issued if the morning low drops at least 10 degrees from the previous day or remains below minus 12 degrees for two or more days. 

In cities like Cheolwon in mountainous Gangwon Province, the morning low dropped to minus 1 degree, rising to a high of 16 degrees during the day, similar to the previous years’ average. 

Gwangju and Busan saw daytime highs hit 19 and 20 degrees, respectively, with cold weather quickly rising back to the average for this time of year in the afternoon.

The cold weather is to continue off and on at least into next week, the KMA said. The central area and some parts of southern peninsula will face a cold morning with temperatures dropping below zero, with rain in store for Friday. 

The continental anticyclone from northern China moving in after the rain will likely send the mercury sharply down again on Saturday morning, the KMA said. Skies will be mostly clear across the country for a couple of days, though.

The country is forecast to see cloudy skies and sporadic rainfall across the peninsula Friday, with 3 millimeters of precipitation expected throughout the region. 

Sea waves will rise to a height of 3 meters in some areas.

By Kim Da-sol (ddd@heraldcorp.com)