Hongwŏn weather in December

In December, Hongwŏn sees average daytime highs of 3°C and overnight lows near -3°C, with 35 mm of precipitation across 6.5 wet days and about 9.2 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 5°C in the first days to 1°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 61% 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 Hongwŏn's 1st-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Hongwŏn's year-round climate.

Daytime high
10th warmest
Overnight low
-3°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
35 mm
6.5 wet days
Daylight
9 h 12 min
7:49 AM – 4:59 PM
Cloud cover
36%
1st clearest
Wind
12 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
2.17 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Hongwŏn is human settlement in North Korea.

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 5°C in the first days to 1°C by the end.

A typical December day in Hongwŏn reaches about 3°C in the afternoon and slips back to -3°C overnight — a 5°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between -2°C and 6°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 6°C cooler than November and about 2°C warmer than January.

-10°-5°10°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
150
250
350
44-1
54-1
64-1
74-1
84-2
93-2
103-2
113-2
123-2
133-2
143-3
153-3
162-3
172-3
182-3
192-3
202-3
212-3
222-4
232-4
242-4
252-4
262-4
271-4
281-4
291-4
301-4
311-5

How December really feels in Hongwŏn

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
wind chill below the day's low

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

Hongwŏn weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / -6°305.86.49.50.0
Feb / -4°255.15.110.40.0
Mar / 305.33.611.70.6
Apr11° / 476.20.7133.2
May17° / 11°747.4014.25.6
Jun20° / 16°747014.86.6
Jul24° / 20°17212.2014.66.4
Aug25° / 21°18212.3013.66.4
Sep21° / 17°1028.3012.36.9
Oct16° / 11°516.8010.95.8
Nov / 5681.69.82.0
Dec / -3°356.55.19.20.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 61% of the time in December, the clearest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 9% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 30%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16337
26436
36436
46535
56634
66634
76733
86733
96931
106931
116931
127030
137129
147129
157129
167228
177228
187228
197228
207228
217228
227228
237228
247327
257228
267228
277228
287228
297228
307228
317228

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Hongwŏn gets around 35 mm of rain and snow over 6.5 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 25% on the wettest days, and about 5 days bring snow. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
12513
22513
32514
42414
52414
62315
72315
82315
92215
102216
112216
122216
132116
142116
152116
162016
172016
182016
192017
202017
212017
222017
231917
241917
251917
261917
271917
281817
291817
301817
311716

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 12 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 12 km/h on the calmest days to 13 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
113light breeze
213light breeze
313light breeze
413light breeze
513light breeze
613light breeze
713light breeze
813light breeze
913light breeze
1013light breeze
1113light breeze
1212light breeze
1312light breeze
1412light breeze
1512light breeze
1612light breeze
1712light breeze
1812light breeze
1912light breeze
2012light breeze
2112light breeze
2212light breeze
2312light breeze
2412light breeze
2512light breeze
2612light breeze
2712light breeze
2812light breeze
2912light breeze
3012light breeze
3112light breeze

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 7:37 AM to 7:56 AM, and sunset from 4:59 PM to 5:07 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.47:374:59
29.37:384:59
39.37:394:59
49.37:404:58
59.37:414:58
69.37:424:58
79.37:424:58
89.27:434:58
99.27:444:58
109.27:454:58
119.27:464:58
129.27:464:59
139.27:474:59
149.27:484:59
159.27:494:59
169.27:494:59
179.27:505:00
189.27:505:00
199.27:515:00
209.27:525:01
219.27:525:01
229.27:535:02
239.27:535:02
249.27:535:03
259.27:545:03
269.27:545:04
279.27:555:04
289.27:555:05
299.27:555:06
309.27:555:06
319.27:565:07

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 2.17 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.17 kWh/m² to a high of 5.88 kWh/m² in May across the year — December's 2.17 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.2Moderate
22.1Moderate
32.1Moderate
42.1Moderate
52.1Moderate
62.1Moderate
72.1Moderate
82.1Moderate
92.1Moderate
102.1Moderate
112.2Moderate
122.2Moderate
132.2Moderate
142.2Moderate
152.2Moderate
162.2Moderate
172.2Moderate
182.2Moderate
192.2Moderate
202.2Moderate
212.2Moderate
222.2Moderate
232.2Moderate
242.2Moderate
252.2Moderate
262.2Moderate
272.2Moderate
282.3Moderate
292.3Moderate
302.3Moderate
312.3Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Hongwŏn

In seasonPeak

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

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

Hongwŏn'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 Hongwŏn?

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 Hongwŏn.

What to pack for Hongwŏn in December

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

In December, Hongwŏn sees daytime highs around 3°C and nights near -3°C. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. About 7 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coat

Sea temperature near Hongwŏn 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 18 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 Hongwŏn 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 Hongwŏn peaks around August 19 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 2 (low).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighVery highModerateLowAug 19UV 8Dec 22UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr5High
May7Very high
Jun7High
Jul6High
Aug8Very high
Sep7Very high
Oct5Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Hongwŏn 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 Hongwŏn is worst in March — around 57 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 3.0× the cleanest month (September, 19 µg/m³).

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecPoorPoorModerateMar 1856 µg/m³Sep 1019 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan41Poor
Feb47Poor
Mar57Unhealthy
Apr50Poor
May41Poor
Jun26Moderate
Jul22Moderate
Aug20Moderate
Sep19Moderate
Oct29Moderate
Nov33Moderate
Dec35Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Hongwŏn?

Hongwŏn sits at 40.0°N, 128.0°E, 29 m above sea level, in North Korea. The nearest listed city is Samho-rodongjagu, 11 km away.

HŭngnamHamhŭngYŏnggwang-ŭpIwŏn-ŭpKowŏn-ŭp

Topography around Hongwŏn

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Hongwŏn has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 228 m around an average of 20 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 998 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,541 m.

The land around Hongwŏn is covered by cropland (42%) and water (25%) within 3 km, water (38%) and trees (34%) within 16 km, and trees (52%) and water (31%) within 80 km.

3 km
228 m
16 km
998 m
80 km
2,541 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Samho-rodongjagu 11 km · Yuktae-dong 17 km · Sinp’o 20 km · Hŭngnam 34 km · Hamhŭng 38 km · Yŏnggwang-ŭp 43 km · Iwŏn-ŭp 68 km · Kowŏn-ŭp 89 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 Hongwŏn (40.0253°, 127.9558°, elevation 29 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).