Hŭngnam weather in December

In December, Hŭngnam sees average daytime highs of 4°C and overnight lows near -1°C, with 35 mm of precipitation across 6 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 6°C in the first days to 2°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 Hŭngnam's 1st-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Hŭngnam's year-round climate.

Daytime high
10th warmest
Overnight low
-1°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
35 mm
6 wet days
Daylight
9 h 12 min
7:50 AM – 5:01 PM
Cloud cover
35%
1st clearest
Wind
19 km/h
1st windiest
Solar energy
2.16 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 6°C in the first days to 2°C by the end.

A typical December day in Hŭngnam reaches about 4°C in the afternoon and slips back to -1°C overnight — a 4°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between -1°C and 7°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 6°C cooler than November and about 3°C warmer than January.

-10°-5°10°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
162
262
362
451
551
651
751
851
940
1040
1140
1240
1340
1440
154-1
164-1
173-1
183-1
193-1
203-1
213-1
223-1
233-2
243-2
253-2
263-2
273-2
282-2
292-2
302-2
312-2

How December really feels in Hŭngnam

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.

Hŭngnam 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 / -3°3265.59.50.0
Feb / -2°254.84.110.40.0
Mar / 3052.511.70.4
Apr10° / 516.10.4132.7
May15° / 12°837.1014.25.1
Jun19° / 17°837.1014.86.5
Jul23° / 21°19012.4014.56.4
Aug25° / 22°19912.1013.66.5
Sep21° / 19°1157.8012.37.0
Oct17° / 13°596.7010.95.9
Nov10° / 668.10.89.82.4
Dec / -1°3563.39.20.0

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
36832
46832
56931
66931
77030
87129
97129
107228
117228
127129
137228
147228
157228
167327
177327
187327
197228
207228
217228
227327
237327
247327
257327
267327
277327
287327
297426
307426
317426

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Hŭngnam gets around 35 mm of rain and snow over 6 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 20% and peaks near 26% on the wettest days, and about 3 days bring snow. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1267
2268
3258
4259
5249
6249
7239
82310
92210
102210
112110
122110
132110
142010
152010
161910
171910
181810
191810
201810
211711
221711
231711
241712
251712
261612
271612
281612
291613
301613
311613

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 19 km/h in December, the windiest month of the year.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 19 km/h on the calmest days to 19 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
119light breeze
219light breeze
319light breeze
419light breeze
519light breeze
619light breeze
719light breeze
819light breeze
919light breeze
1019light breeze
1119light breeze
1219light breeze
1319light breeze
1419light breeze
1519light breeze
1619light breeze
1719light breeze
1819light breeze
1919light breeze
2019light breeze
2119light breeze
2219light breeze
2319light breeze
2419light breeze
2519light breeze
2619light breeze
2719light breeze
2819light breeze
2919light breeze
3019light breeze
3119light 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 7:38 AM to 7:56 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
39.37:405:00
49.37:415:00
59.37:415:00
69.37:425:00
79.37:435:00
89.37:445:00
99.37:455:00
109.27:465:00
119.27:465:00
129.27:475:00
139.27:485:01
149.27:495:01
159.27:495:01
169.27:505:01
179.27:515:02
189.27:515:02
199.27:525:02
209.27:525:03
219.27:535:03
229.27:535:04
239.27:545:04
249.27:545:05
259.27:555:05
269.27:555:06
279.27:555:06
289.27:565:07
299.27:565:08
309.27:565:08
319.27:565:09

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 2.16 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.16 kWh/m² to a high of 5.91 kWh/m² in May across the year — December's 2.16 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.2Moderate
22.2Moderate
32.2Moderate
42.1Moderate
52.1Moderate
62.1Moderate
72.1Moderate
82.1Moderate
92.1Moderate
102.1Moderate
112.1Moderate
122.1Moderate
132.1Moderate
142.1Moderate
152.1Moderate
162.1Moderate
172.1Moderate
182.2Moderate
192.2Moderate
202.2Moderate
212.2Moderate
222.2Moderate
232.2Moderate
242.2Moderate
252.2Moderate
262.2Moderate
272.2Moderate
282.2Moderate
292.3Moderate
302.3Moderate
312.3Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Hŭngnam

In seasonPeak

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

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

Hŭngnam'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 Hŭngnam?

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
8th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Hŭngnam.

What to pack for Hŭngnam in December

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

In December, Hŭngnam sees daytime highs around 4°C and nights near -1°C. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: a heavy coat. About 6 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coat

Sea temperature near Hŭngnam 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 21 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 Hŭngnam 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 Hŭngnam 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 Hŭngnam 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 Hŭngnam 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 Hŭngnam?

Hŭngnam sits at 39.8°N, 127.6°E, 3 m above sea level, in North Korea. The nearest listed city is Hamhŭng, 12 km away.

HongwŏnYuktae-dongSinp’oKowŏn-ŭpWŏnsan

Topography around Hŭngnam

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Hŭngnam has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 232 m around an average of 35 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 595 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,187 m.

The land around Hŭngnam is covered by artificial surfaces (29%), cropland (23%) and trees (20%) within 3 km, water (41%) and cropland (27%) within 16 km, and trees (53%) and water (29%) within 80 km.

3 km
232 m
16 km
595 m
80 km
2,187 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Hamhŭng 12 km · Samho-rodongjagu 24 km · Yŏnggwang-ŭp 25 km · Hongwŏn 34 km · Yuktae-dong 49 km · Sinp’o 53 km · Kowŏn-ŭp 56 km · Wŏnsan 78 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 Hŭngnam (39.842°, 127.6321°, elevation 3 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).