[Newsmaker] Unseasonal snow falls in May, first in 22 years

Unseasonal snow fell on parts of Gangwon Province over the weekend, an unlikely event for May, when early summer weather is typically seen across the country. It is the first time in 22 years that it has snowed in South Korea in the month of May.

The Korea Meteorological Administration said Sunday that up to 18.5 centimeters of snow blanketed Gangwon Province from Saturday evening to Sunday morning. An influx of strong wind from the east concentrated a pack of rain clouds in mountainous regions within the province, the weather agency said.

The national weather agency had issued a heavy snow alert for mountainous regions within Gangwon Province as of 9:10 p.m. Saturday. A snow alert is issued when more than 5 centimeters of snow is forecast for a region in the coming 24 hours.

Regions surrounding the Taebaek mountain range were met with light to heavy snow, while other cities and counties were showered with rain from Saturday at midnight to 6 a.m. Sunday.

More than 18 centimeters of snow fell on Guryongnyeong, and 1.6 centimeters of snow blanketed Daegwallyeong. The precipitation reached 61.6 millimeters for Jinbuyeong, 58.5 millimeters for Misiryeong, 49 millimeters for Sokcho, 38 millimeters for Yangyang and 28.98 millimeters for Gangneung.

The heavy snow alert had been lifted as of 5:30 a.m. Sunday. The weather agency warned that weather would stay relatively cold and thunderstorms could prevail in Gangwon Province throughout the day Sunday.

By Ko Jun-tae (ko.juntae@heraldcorp.com)