With snow already blanketing much of the central regions including the capital area on Wednesday, more is forecast across the nation through Christmas Eve on Saturday.

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration(KMA), cold air from the north is expected to travel southward in the upper atmosphere from Wednesday afternoon or Thursday amid an expansion of the continental anticyclone.

Such conditions would create snow and clouds over the country's west coast, while low-pressure troughs projected to pass through the country between Thursday and Friday will further push the snowfront over inland areas.

Up to 25 centimeters of snow is expected in South Chungcheong Province along the west coast, the southwestern Jeolla region, parts of Jeju Island, the eastern Ulleung Island and Dokdo islets between Thursday and Saturday. Over 50 centimeters are forecast for Jeju's mountainous regions.

Up to ten centimeters will likely fall over western parts of the Gyeongsang Provinces, the five border islands along the west coast, and the southwestern parts of Gyeonggi Province as well as North Chungcheong Province.

A cold snap will return on Thursday due to the frigid air entering from the north, with morning lows ranging from minus 19 to minus three degrees Celsius on Friday, while daytime highs will likely stay between minus eleven degrees Celsius to two above zero.