Cold Wave Advisory
Overview
The Cold Wave Advisory (한파주의보) is a special weather advisory issued by the Korea Meteorological Administration (기상청) in winter when the daily minimum temperature is expected to fall sharply or to remain extremely low for two or more days. It is an 'alert'-level advisory intended to prevent loss of life and property damage from cold waves, and it is one level below the Cold Wave Warning (한파경보) in the same category. Upon issuance, local governments and disaster safety authorities activate response systems such as protecting vulnerable groups, preventing water pipes from freezing and bursting, and evacuating homeless people.
Key details
Legal basis and issuing authority
The Cold Wave Advisory is one of the special weather advisories under the Meteorological Act (기상법), and the Korea Meteorological Administration has the authority to issue and lift it. Special weather advisories, together with those for gales, heavy rain, heavy snow, and heat waves, are rapidly disseminated through disaster text messages, broadcasts, the internet, and apps, and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and local governments activate disaster response manuals on that basis. Advisories are generally issued by the KMA Forecast Bureau and, when necessary, are subdivided by metropolitan area and take effect by zone.
Issuance criteria
Under KMA criteria, a Cold Wave Advisory is generally issued when ① the daily minimum temperature is expected to fall sharply by 10°C or more from the previous day to 3°C or below and to be 3°C or more below the climatological normal, or ② the daily minimum temperature is expected to remain at -12°C or below for two or more days. A Cold Wave Warning is stricter: it is issued when the minimum temperature remains at -15°C or below for two or more days, or when it falls by 10°C or more from the previous day to -3°C or below and is 3°C or more below normal. In other words, the advisory can be understood as 'considerable cold' and the warning as 'severe cold'.
Difference from a cold wave warning
The two advisories differ in level and intensity of response. At the advisory stage, individual preparations are central, such as refraining from outdoor activities, minimizing exposed skin, and checking heating devices; when upgraded to the warning stage, administrative measures are strengthened, such as visiting and checking vulnerable people, expanding the opening of cold-wave shelters, and considering suspension of construction sites. Because advisories are frequently upgraded or lifted according to temperature changes, real-time checking is important.
Actions to take
The most important thing is maintaining body temperature and preventing frostbite and hypothermia. When going out, reduce skin exposure with gloves, scarves, and hats, and change wet clothing immediately. Wrap water pipes and meters with insulation, and when going out for long periods, open the faucet slightly to prevent freezing and bursting. When using heating devices, be mindful of ventilation and of fire and carbon monoxide poisoning. Homeless people, older adults living alone, infants and young children, and people with chronic diseases are especially vulnerable to cold waves, so attention from neighbors and local governments is needed.
Impacts and damage
Cold waves cause various types of damage, including cold-related illnesses (hypothermia and frostbite), worsening cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, cold damage to crops, fish kills at aquaculture farms, traffic accidents due to icy roads, freezing and bursting of water pipes, and supply-demand pressure from surges in electricity use. In particular, Korea frequently experiences short periods of sharp temperature drops—the 'flower-blooming cold' (kkotsaemchuwi) type of cold wave—due to the winter 'three cold, four warm' pattern and the expansion of continental high pressure, making preparation important.
Recent trends
In the winter of 2024–2025 as well, short, sharp cold waves recurred due to the expansion of cold continental high pressure and fluctuations in the Arctic Oscillation index, and the KMA continues the tendency to issue cold wave advisories subdivided by region. Recently, the 'impact-based forecasting' system, which goes beyond advisories centered simply on temperature figures to consider the scale of damage and vulnerability, has expanded, and the practice of presenting the impact of cold waves on people's lives in grades is taking hold. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (질병관리청) operates a cold-related illness emergency room surveillance system from December to February of the following year each year and compiles incidence data, while local governments are making the designation and promotion of cold-wave shelters and checking on vulnerable groups regular. As winter temperature variability increases due to climate change, preemptive response to 'short, intense cold waves' and energy supply-demand management are emerging as major policy tasks.
Related topics
- [[한파경보]]
- [[기상특보]]
- [[기상청]]
- [[한랭질환]]
- [[폭염주의보]]