Hamhŭng weather in December

In December, Hamhŭng sees average daytime highs of 2°C and overnight lows near -7°C, with 44 mm of precipitation across 6.4 wet days and about 9.2 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 4°C in the first days to 1°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 62% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 24 min at the start of December to 9 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Hamhŭng's 1st-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Hamhŭng's year-round climate.

Daytime high
11th warmest
Overnight low
-7°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
44 mm
6.4 wet days
Daylight
9 h 12 min
7:51 AM – 5:01 PM
Cloud cover
34%
1st clearest
Wind
9 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
2.27 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Hamhŭng is city in North Korea.

Density
1,694/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 4°C in the first days to 1°C by the end.

A typical December day in Hamhŭng reaches about 2°C in the afternoon and slips back to -7°C overnight — a 9°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between -3°C and 7°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 7°C cooler than November and about 2°C warmer than January.

-15°-10°-5°10°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
15-4
24-4
34-4
44-4
54-5
64-5
73-5
83-5
93-6
103-6
113-6
122-6
132-7
142-7
152-7
162-7
172-7
182-7
192-7
202-8
212-8
221-8
231-8
241-8
251-8
261-8
271-9
281-9
291-9
301-9
311-9

How December really feels in Hamhŭng

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
22 feel bitter (≤ -10°C)

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

Hamhŭng weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 11th-warmest and 10th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / -10°416.77.49.50.0
Feb / -8°366.16.110.40.0
Mar / -2°487.55.511.71.3
Apr15° / 607.31.1134.8
May20° / 10°888.4014.26.6
Jun24° / 15°10510.6014.86.6
Jul26° / 19°22615.7014.55.6
Aug26° / 20°24316.1013.65.6
Sep23° / 14°1319.4012.36.8
Oct17° / 677.80.110.96.0
Nov / 768.93.19.82.0
Dec / -7°446.45.89.20.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 62% of the time in December, the clearest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 10% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 28%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16733
26733
36733
46832
56832
67030
77030
87129
97129
107129
117327
127327
137327
147327
157426
167426
177426
187525
197525
207426
217426
227426
237426
247525
257426
267426
277426
287426
297525
307525
317525

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Hamhŭng gets around 44 mm of rain and snow over 6.4 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 21% and peaks near 26% on the wettest days, and about 6 days bring snow. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
12618
22619
32519
42519
52419
62419
72319
82319
92219
102219
112219
122219
132219
142119
152119
162119
172119
182119
192019
202019
212019
222019
231919
241918
251918
261818
271818
281717
291717
301717
311617

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 9 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 9 km/h on the calmest days to 9 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
19calm
29calm
39calm
49calm
59calm
69calm
79calm
89calm
99calm
109calm
119calm
129calm
139calm
149calm
159calm
169calm
179calm
189calm
199calm
209calm
219calm
229calm
239calm
249calm
259calm
269calm
279calm
289calm
299calm
309calm
319calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 24 min at the start of December to 9 h 12 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 12 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 7:38 AM to 7:57 AM, and sunset from 5:01 PM to 5:09 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.47:385:01
29.47:395:01
39.37:405:01
49.37:415:00
59.37:425:00
69.37:435:00
79.37:445:00
89.37:455:00
99.27:455:00
109.27:465:00
119.27:475:00
129.27:485:01
139.27:495:01
149.27:495:01
159.27:505:01
169.27:515:01
179.27:515:02
189.27:525:02
199.27:525:02
209.27:535:03
219.27:535:03
229.27:545:04
239.27:545:04
249.27:555:05
259.27:555:05
269.27:565:06
279.27:565:06
289.27:565:07
299.27:565:08
309.27:575:08
319.27:575:09

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 2.27 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.27 kWh/m² to a high of 5.92 kWh/m² in May across the year — December's 2.27 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.3Moderate
22.3Moderate
32.3Moderate
42.3Moderate
52.3Moderate
62.3Moderate
72.3Moderate
82.3Moderate
92.3Moderate
102.3Moderate
112.3Moderate
122.3Moderate
132.3Moderate
142.3Moderate
152.3Moderate
162.3Moderate
172.3Moderate
182.3Moderate
192.3Moderate
202.3Moderate
212.3Moderate
222.3Moderate
232.3Moderate
242.3Moderate
252.3Moderate
262.3Moderate
272.4Moderate
282.4Moderate
292.4Moderate
302.4Moderate
312.4Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Hamhŭng

In seasonPeak

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

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

Hamhŭng's rainy season runs July–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 Hamhŭng?

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
9th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Hamhŭng.

What to pack for Hamhŭng in December

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

In December, Hamhŭng sees daytime highs around 2°C and nights near -7°C. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. About 6 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coat

Sea temperature near Hamhŭng in December

The nearest coast averages about 8°C in December — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 29 km away) is warmest in August at about 24°C and coldest in February near 4°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 5 to Sep 28 — about 2.8 months when the water holds above 20°C.

0°10°20°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan5Bracing
Feb4Bracing
Mar5Bracing
Apr8Bracing
May12Bracing
Jun18Cool
Jul22Refreshing
Aug24Refreshing
Sep22Refreshing
Oct18Cool
Nov13Bracing
Dec8Bracing

UV index in Hamhŭng in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 2. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Hamhŭng peaks around August 20 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen and a hat are worth it in the middle of the day. It bottoms out near December 21 at about 2 (low).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighVery highModerateLowAug 20UV 8Dec 21UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr5High
May7Very high
Jun7High
Jul6High
Aug8Very high
Sep7Very high
Oct4Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Hamhŭng 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 Hamhŭng is worst in March — around 96 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 2.3× the cleanest month (July, 43 µg/m³).

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

0306090120JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecUnhealthyPoorUnhealthyMar 996 µg/m³Jul 1943 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan95Unhealthy
Feb96Unhealthy
Mar96Unhealthy
Apr80Unhealthy
May64Unhealthy
Jun51Poor
Jul43Poor
Aug46Poor
Sep62Unhealthy
Oct83Unhealthy
Nov87Unhealthy
Dec84Unhealthy
Location & terrain

Where is Hamhŭng?

Hamhŭng sits at 39.9°N, 127.5°E, 16 m above sea level, in North Korea. The nearest listed city is Hŭngnam, 12 km away.

HongwŏnYuktae-dongSinp’oKowŏn-ŭpWŏnsan

Topography around Hamhŭng

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Hamhŭng has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 302 m around an average of 29 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 595 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,400 m.

The land around Hamhŭng is covered by artificial surfaces (47%) and cropland (22%) within 3 km, cropland (50%) and trees (27%) within 16 km, and trees (58%) and water (24%) within 80 km.

3 km
302 m
16 km
595 m
80 km
2,400 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Hŭngnam 12 km · Yŏnggwang-ŭp 13 km · Samho-rodongjagu 29 km · Hongwŏn 38 km · Yuktae-dong 54 km · Sinp’o 58 km · Kowŏn-ŭp 59 km · Wŏnsan 85 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 Hamhŭng (39.9183°, 127.5364°, elevation 16 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).