According to the South Korean weather forecasting agency, due to the influence of the expanding continental high pressure system from northern China, cold winds caused the lowest temperature in the morning of the 1st to be from -16 degrees C to -4 degrees C, with the highest daytime temperature fluctuating from -7 degrees C to 3 degrees C.
During this mid-winter cold spell, Seoul is forecast to record temperatures dropping to -11 degrees Celsius, with perceived temperatures dropping to -14 degrees Celsius.
South Korean weather experts predict that this cold spell is expected to last. Cold warnings have been issued for the capital region of South Korea, the entire Gangwon, Chungcheongbuk and Daegu provinces, and parts of Chungcheong Nam, Jeolla North and Gyeongsang North provinces.
Gyeonggi North, Yeongseo in Gangwon province and northern Gyeongsang North are in a cold warning situation (minimum temperature below -15 degrees Celsius for two days or more), while the remaining areas are in a cold monitoring situation (minimum temperature below -12 degrees Celsius for two days or more). Warnings are expected to remain in effect in most areas until the end of the week.
The Taiwan (China) Meteorological Agency (CWA) said that a strong cold air mass from the mainland swept into Taiwan (China) on New Year's Day, causing temperatures to drop sharply to a low of about 10 degrees Celsius in some areas in the following days.
According to CWA forecaster Cheng Chieh-jen, as the cold air mass moves south on New Year's Day, the temperature will be colder, with showers and low temperatures from 14-15 degrees Celsius forecast in the north of the island and Nghi Lan while low temperatures from 16-18 degrees Celsius are forecast to occur in the south and east of the island.
The cold spell is expected to last until the end of the week, with the lowest temperature forecast on January 3rd, when the lowest temperature will drop to 9-12 degrees Celsius in the north and central islands, while the temperature will be from 13-15 degrees Celsius in the south of the island.
According to the Vietnam National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, on January 1, 2026, the cold air mass is approaching the northern border. In the North, there will be light rain in some places, with common temperatures of 19-21 degrees Celsius.
It is forecasted that around noon on January 1, 2026, this cold air mass will affect the northern mountainous provinces; in the afternoon of January 1, it will affect other places in the Northeast, then affect the North Central Coast, Northwest, Central Central Coast and some places in the South Central Coast.
In the Northeast region, there will be rain, scattered showers and thunderstorms in some places. On the night of January 1st, the Northwest region, Thanh Hoa and Nghe An will have rain, scattered showers, and thunderstorms in some places; in thunderstorms, there is a possibility of tornadoes, lightning, hail and strong gusts of wind.
In the mountainous areas of the Northeast region, from January 1, the weather will turn cold. From the evening and night of January 1, the midland, plains of the North and North Central regions will turn cold.
From January 2-3, the mountainous and midland regions of the North will be very cold, with severe cold in some places.
Lowest temperature in this cold air wave: Northern region commonly 11-14 degrees C, mountainous and midland areas 8-11 degrees C, high mountainous areas in some places below 7 degrees C; North Central region commonly 13-16 degrees C.
