Chongjin weather in December

In December, Chongjin sees average daytime highs of -0°C and overnight lows near -7°C, with 58 mm of precipitation across 11.2 wet days and about 9 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 2°C in the first days to -2°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 52% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 12 min at the start of December to 9 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Chongjin's 4th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Chongjin's year-round climate.

Daytime high
-0°
10th warmest
Overnight low
-7°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
58 mm
11.2 wet days
Daylight
9 hours
7:48 AM – 4:46 PM
Cloud cover
44%
4th clearest
Wind
11 km/h
1st windiest
Solar energy
1.91 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Chongjin is city in North Pyongan province, North Korea.

Density
1,216/km²
people per km²

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 2°C in the first days to -2°C by the end.

A typical December day in Chongjin reaches about -0°C in the afternoon and slips back to -7°C overnight — a 6°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between -5°C and 4°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 7°C cooler than November and about 3°C warmer than January.

-15°-10°-5°10°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12-4
22-4
32-4
42-4
51-5
61-5
71-5
81-5
90-6
100-6
110-6
120-6
130-6
140-6
150-7
16-1-7
17-1-7
18-1-7
19-1-7
20-1-7
21-1-7
22-1-8
23-1-8
24-1-8
25-2-8
26-2-8
27-2-8
28-2-8
29-2-8
30-2-9
31-2-9

How December really feels in Chongjin

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 31 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
31
24 feel bitter (≤ -10°C)

The story in December is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.

Chongjin weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan-3° / -10°409.210.29.30.0
Feb-1° / -8°275.96.110.30.0
Mar / -3°357.45.911.70.1
Apr10° / 5392.113.12.2
May15° / 9612.90.214.34.0
Jun18° / 14°10613.30155.1
Jul22° / 18°19017.2014.75.3
Aug23° / 20°21518.7013.75.4
Sep20° / 15°12111.3012.36.1
Oct15° / 598.50.410.94.8
Nov / 609.15.29.61.0
Dec-0° / -7°5811.211.490.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 52% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 13% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 36%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16040
26040
36040
46139
56139
66139
76139
86139
96238
106238
116337
126337
136436
146436
156535
166535
176535
186634
196634
206634
216634
226733
236733
246733
256733
266733
276733
286733
296733
306733
316733

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Chongjin gets around 58 mm of rain and snow over 11.2 wet days in December. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 36% and peaks near 40% on the wettest days, and about 11 days bring snow. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
13933
23934
33935
44036
54037
64037
73938
83938
93938
103838
113838
123738
133738
143638
153637
163537
173536
183436
193436
203435
213335
223335
233335
243335
253335
263335
273335
283334
293334
303334
313335

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of December feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, December lands in the dry band about 100% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)
1100
2100
3100
4100
5100
6100
7100
8100
9100
10100
11100
12100
13100
14100
15100
16100
17100
18100
19100
20100
21100
22100
23100
24100
25100
26100
27100
28100
29100
30100
31100

Wind in December

Winds average 11 km/h in December, the windiest month of the year.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 11 km/h on the calmest days to 11 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
111calm
211calm
311calm
411calm
511calm
611calm
711calm
811calm
911calm
1011calm
1111calm
1211calm
1311calm
1411calm
1511calm
1611calm
1711calm
1811calm
1911calm
2011calm
2111calm
2211calm
2311calm
2411calm
2511calm
2611calm
2711calm
2811calm
2911calm
3011calm
3111calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 12 min at the start of December to 9 hours by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 12 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 7:35 AM to 7:54 AM, and sunset from 4:46 PM to 4:54 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.27:354:46
29.27:364:46
39.17:374:46
49.17:384:46
59.17:394:46
69.17:404:45
79.17:414:45
89.17:424:45
99.07:424:45
109.07:434:45
119.07:444:45
129.07:454:46
139.07:464:46
149.07:464:46
159.07:474:46
169.07:484:46
179.07:484:47
189.07:494:47
199.07:504:47
209.07:504:48
219.07:514:48
229.07:514:49
239.07:524:49
249.07:524:50
259.07:524:50
269.07:534:51
279.07:534:51
289.07:534:52
299.07:544:53
309.07:544:53
319.07:544:54

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.91 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.91 kWh/m² to a high of 5.26 kWh/m² in April across the year — December's 1.91 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.9Dim
21.9Dim
31.9Dim
41.9Dim
51.9Dim
61.9Dim
71.9Dim
81.9Dim
91.9Dim
101.9Dim
111.9Dim
121.9Dim
131.9Dim
141.9Dim
151.9Dim
161.9Dim
171.9Dim
181.9Dim
191.9Dim
201.9Dim
211.9Dim
221.9Dim
231.9Dim
242.0Dim
252.0Dim
262.0Dim
272.0Dim
282.0Moderate
292.0Moderate
302.0Moderate
312.0Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Chongjin

In seasonPeak

In December, Chongjin sits inside its pacific typhoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Chongjin sits in the Pacific typhoon belt; the season peaks July–October.

Chongjin's rainy season runs June–September, when most of the year's rain falls.

Pacific typhoon
Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is December a good time to visit Chongjin?

Our two travel scores rate December for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

0.0
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
7th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Chongjin.

What to pack for Chongjin in December

From December's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In December, Chongjin sees daytime highs around -0°C and nights near -7°C. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 11 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

Sea temperature near Chongjin in December

The nearest coast averages about 7°C in December — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea offshore is warmest in August at about 22°C and coldest in February near 3°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 28 to Sep 11 — about 1.5 months when the water holds above 20°C.

0°10°20°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarm
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan4Bracing
Feb3Bracing
Mar3Bracing
Apr6Bracing
May9Bracing
Jun14Bracing
Jul19Cool
Aug22Refreshing
Sep20Cool
Oct16Cool
Nov12Bracing
Dec7Bracing

UV index in Chongjin in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 1. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Chongjin peaks around August 19 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen and a hat are worth it in the middle of the day. It bottoms out near December 18 at about 1 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighHighVery highHighModerateLowAug 19UV 8Dec 18UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr5High
May7Very high
Jun7High
Jul5High
Aug8Very high
Sep7High
Oct4Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low

Air quality in Chongjin in December

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where December falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Chongjin is worst in March — around 48 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 3.1× the cleanest month (August, 16 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecPoorModerateMar 1747 µg/m³Aug 1616 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan38Poor
Feb39Poor
Mar48Poor
Apr40Poor
May31Moderate
Jun21Moderate
Jul18Moderate
Aug16Moderate
Sep18Moderate
Oct25Moderate
Nov26Moderate
Dec26Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Chongjin?

Chongjin sits at 41.8°N, 129.8°E, 5 m above sea level, in North Korea. The nearest listed city is Ranam, 12 km away.

ŎrangHwasŏngYŏnsa-ŭpRajinMusan-ŭp

Topography around Chongjin

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Chongjin.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Chongjin has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 226 m around an average of 20 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 762 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,502 m.

The land around Chongjin is covered by artificial surfaces (56%) and cropland (22%) within 3 km, trees (37%) and water (36%) within 16 km, and trees (58%) and water (28%) within 80 km.

3 km
226 m
16 km
762 m
80 km
2,502 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Ranam 12 km · Kyŏngsŏng 27 km · Puryŏng-ŭp 30 km · Ŏrang 40 km · Hwasŏng 65 km · Yŏnsa-ŭp 65 km · Rajin 66 km · Musan-ŭp 67 km

North Korea travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 4
Do Not Travel
Power plugs
Type C / F
220 V · 50 Hz
Safe drinking water
67%
of population, 2023
Road deaths
24.2
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Low
World Bank

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Chongjin (41.7956°, 129.7758°, elevation 5 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).