A heavy snow advisory has been issued for Wednesday evening in the greater Seoul area, the state weather agency said.

The advisory goes into effect at 5 p.m. in Incheon and parts of Gyeonggi Province and at 7 p.m. in Seoul and the rest of Gyeonggi, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration.

The warning is given when the snowfall is expected to reach 5 centimeters or more within 24 hours.

Snowfall will be heaviest between 9 p.m. Wednesday and 3 a.m. Thursday in the capital area, the inlands of Gangwon Province and northern Chungcheong, the KMA said.

Seoul and western Gyeonggi Province are forecast to receive 3 to 10 centimeters of snowfall.

The Seoul city government has sent more than 8,000 workers and 1,000 vehicles to major roads to prepare to remove the snow, and instructed local government offices to spray de-icing agents in advance.

Eastern Gyeonggi Province and parts of Gangwon Province are expected to receive up to 15 cm, while many southern areas of the country, including parts of South and North Chungcheong provinces and the western inland areas of South Gyeongsang Province, are forecast to receive up to 5 cm of snow.

Temperatures in most parts of the country were expected to rise above zero due to warm winds.

The KMA said cold wave advisories will likely be lifted in the afternoon in the central regions and in the northern inland areas of North Gyeongsang Province. (Yonhap)