(LEAD) Heavy snow advisory issued for Seoul, surrounding areas

(ATTN: UPDATES with more info in paras 2-3, 6; CHANGES photos)
By Kim Han-joo

SEOUL, Jan. 26 (Yonhap) -- A heavy snow advisory was issued Thursday in the greater Seoul area and some central parts of the country, the state weather agency said.

The advisory went into effect in Seoul, Incheon, parts of Gyeonggi Province surrounding Seoul and the coastal region of South Chungcheong Province, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA).

The advisory is given when the snowfall is expected to reach 5 centimeters or more within 24 hours.

The snowfall was heaviest overnight and into early Thursday, impacting the morning commute, the KMA said.

The KMA advised citizens to use public transportation and leave for work earlier than usual to avoid heavy traffic congestion.

The snowfall was forecast to stop Thursday afternoon starting with the wider Seoul area but will continue into early Friday in central parts of the country.

Between 2 and 7 centimeters of snow is expected until Friday and more than 10 centimeters in mountainous regions on the southern island of Jeju, the KMA said.

Eastern parts of Gyeonggi Province and inland areas of Gangwon Province are forecast to receive 1 to 5 cm of snowfall, the agency said.

Temperatures in most parts of the country were expected to rise to between minus 2 C and 6 C, the KMA said.

khj@yna.co.kr
(END)