Seoul’s First Snowfall History & Climate Trends (Updated for 2025)
When will the first snow fall in Seoul this year? Let’s find out using 80 years of data.
As winter approaches, one of the most common seasonal questions in Korea is:
“When will the first snow fall in Seoul?”
Seoul is the most data-rich region in Korea when it comes to historical climate records, and the timing of the first snowfall is often seen as a symbolic start of the winter season.
In this post, we examine first-snowfall dates in Seoul from the 1940s to the 2020s, analyze decade-long averages, and explore whether climate change has had any impact on the timing of early winter snow.
(The table image above shows the complete record from 1948 to 2023.)
First Snowfall in Seoul: Historical Overview (1940s–2020s)
Historical data before the 1970s is incomplete due to Korea’s war and reconstruction period,
but from the 1970s onward, the first-snow dates have been recorded relatively consistently.
Below is the decade-based average, calculated using all available data:
Average First Snowfall by Decade
| Decade | Avg. First Snow Date |
|---|---|
| 1970s | Around November 26 |
| 1980s | Around November 18 |
| 1990s | Around November 22 |
| 2000s | Around November 20 |
| 2010s | Around November 18 |
| 2020s (2020–2023) | Around November 23 |
These averages give us a clearer long-term picture of how early winter has behaved in Seoul over the past 50+ years.
Does Climate Change Affect Seoul’s First Snowfall?
The data shows year-to-year fluctuations, but no dramatic long-term shift in first-snowfall dates.
✔ Why the date doesn’t change drastically
The first snowfall is highly dependent on:
- Temperature, and
- Whether precipitation happens at the right time
Even if the temperature becomes slightly warmer due to climate change, the timing of the first snowfall is still strongly influenced by the randomness of precipitation events.
This makes first-snowfall dates a weak indicator of climate change.
✔ Still, a subtle trend exists
- The 1980s and 2010s show earlier average snowfalls
- The 1990s and early 2020s show slightly later snowfalls
- This suggests a minor delay, but not enough to establish a definitive trend
Overall, Seoul’s first snowfall shows only a very slight shift toward later dates, but the change is too small to be considered clear evidence of climate impact.
So… When Will Seoul’s First Snow Fall in 2025?
Combining long-term averages with the pattern from the last 10 years (2014–2023),
we can estimate a realistic snowfall window for 2025.
Most frequent period for first snow in the past 50 years:
November 18 – November 26
Recent trend (last decade):
November 15 – November 27
2025 First Snowfall Prediction (Seoul)
➡ Likely between November 18 and November 29
(Actual date may vary depending on precipitation timing)
Historically, Seoul’s first snow tends to occur right when temperatures approach the freezing point, and this pattern is expected to continue in 2025.
✔ Conclusion
In this post, we compiled first-snowfall records in Seoul from the 1940s to the 2020s and analyzed long-term patterns to understand how the start of winter may be shifting.
Summary
- No major long-term change in first-snow dates
- Slight tendency for later snow in recent decades
- First snow is influenced more by precipitation timing than temperature
- 2025 expected snowfall window: Nov 18–29
We hope this analysis helps satisfy your curiosity about Korea’s first snow and provides a clearer understanding of how winter is changing over time.
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