A cold wave hit South Korea on Tuesday, bringing temperatures below the freezing point in some regions in the mountainous Gangwon and Gyeonggi provinces amid forecasts that even colder weather is likely to grip the nation Wednesday.

Seoul also saw the coldest weather of this fall with 3.8 C, while the morning temperatures dipped below zero in northeastern Gyeonggi Province and the inland and mountainous areas of Gangwon Province, with Mount Seorak recording minus 6.6 C as of 5:58 a.m.

The lowest apparent temperatures in Seoul recorded 0.2 C, and Incheon hit minus 0.7 C.

Other parts of the country also recorded subzero temperatures, with Hwacheon County in the eastern Gangwon Province and Pocheon city in Gyeonggi Province recording minus 0.9 C, and minus 0.3 C, respectively, at around 7 a.m.

Sokcho in Gangwon Province and Seogwipo on the southern island of Jeju also confronted the coldest weather this season with lows of 6.3 C, and 12.7 C, respectively, and temperatures may drop further in the day.

The winter-like cold will peak early Wednesday, with the morning lows forecast to range from minus 3 C to 9 C above zero, and temperatures are expected to climb during the day to reach 13 to 19 C in the daytime, a level similar to average years.

Meanwhile, gales are expected to continue throughout the morning, with most regions seeing strong winds with instantaneous wind speed of 55 to 70 kilometers per hour. High tides and gusts of wind will affect most waterfronts in the country throughout the day, with some areas facing inclement weather until Wednesday morning. (Yonhap)