Kaesŏng in Summer
In summer (June, July and August), Kaesŏng sees average daytime highs around 28°C and overnight lows near 20°C, with 698 mm of rain over about 41 wet days across the season. It is the warmest season of the year and the wettest season of the year.
Over the season highs climb from about 26°C in early June to 28°C by late August. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 22% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels oppressive.
Summer is Kaesŏng's 2nd-best season to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Kaesŏng's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 28°C
- warmest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 20°C
- Rainfall
- 698 mm
- 41 wet days
- Avg wind
- 9 km/h
- Travel score
- 5.4
- 2nd-best season
- Months
- Jun · Jul · Aug
Temperature in Kaesŏng in Summer
Over the season highs climb from about 26°C in early June to 28°C by late August.
A typical summer day in Kaesŏng reaches about 28°C and drops to 20°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is August, the coolest June.
How summer really feels in Kaesŏng
Once humidity and wind are folded in, summer brings about 24 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in summer is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.
Kaesŏng weather by month
How the three summer months (June, July and August) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Snow days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 1° / -7° | 16 | 3.5 | 2.2 | 9.7 | 0.0 |
| Feb | 5° / -5° | 22 | 3.8 | 1.9 | 10.5 | 0.2 |
| Mar | 10° / 0° | 33 | 5.3 | 0.9 | 11.7 | 2.7 |
| Apr | 17° / 6° | 61 | 7.1 | 0.1 | 13 | 5.9 |
| May | 23° / 12° | 99 | 8.2 | 0 | 14 | 7.1 |
| Jun | 27° / 18° | 124 | 9.7 | 0 | 14.6 | 6.5 |
| Jul | 28° / 22° | 301 | 16.4 | 0 | 14.4 | 4.9 |
| Aug | 29° / 22° | 273 | 15.1 | 0 | 13.5 | 4.8 |
| Sep | 26° / 16° | 116 | 7.2 | 0 | 12.3 | 7.1 |
| Oct | 19° / 8° | 50 | 5.1 | 0 | 11 | 7.1 |
| Nov | 11° / 1° | 45 | 6.8 | 0.5 | 9.9 | 3.0 |
| Dec | 3° / -5° | 21 | 4.5 | 1.7 | 9.4 | 0.0 |
Cloud cover in Summer
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 22% of the time across summer.
Chance of precipitation in Summer
Kaesŏng gets around 698 mm of rain over 41 wet days across summer. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Summer
Most of summer feels oppressive — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Summer
Winds average 9 km/h across summer.
Sunrise & sunset in Summer
Daylight runs from about 14 h 24 min in early June to 12 h 54 min by late August. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Summer
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across summer, about 4.8 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Kaesŏng
In summer, Kaesŏng overlaps its pacific typhoon and rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Kaesŏng sits in the Pacific typhoon belt; the season peaks July–October.
Kaesŏng's rainy season runs July–August, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is summer a good time to visit Kaesŏng?
Our two travel scores rate summer for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
summer is a reasonable time to visit Kaesŏng for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Kaesŏng in Summer
From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In summer, Kaesŏng sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 20°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 41 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Kaesŏng in Summer
The nearest coast averages about 21°C across summer — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 42 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 7 to Oct 10 — about 3.2 months when the water holds above 20°C.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 5 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 17 | 21 | 24 | 23 | 19 | 14 | 9 |
| Comfort | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Cool | Refreshing | Warm | Refreshing | Cool | Bracing | Bracing |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 5 | Bracing |
| Feb | 4 | Bracing |
| Mar | 5 | Bracing |
| Apr | 8 | Bracing |
| May | 13 | Bracing |
| Jun | 17 | Cool |
| Jul | 21 | Refreshing |
| Aug | 24 | Warm |
| Sep | 23 | Refreshing |
| Oct | 19 | Cool |
| Nov | 14 | Bracing |
| Dec | 9 | Bracing |
UV index in Kaesŏng in Summer
Clear-sky midday UV across summer averages around 7 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Kaesŏng peaks around August 15 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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 2 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| Level | Low | Moderate | Moderate | High | High | High | Very high | Very high | Very high | Moderate | Moderate | Low |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2 | Low |
| Feb | 3 | Moderate |
| Mar | 4 | Moderate |
| Apr | 6 | High |
| May | 7 | High |
| Jun | 7 | High |
| Jul | 7 | Very high |
| Aug | 8 | Very high |
| Sep | 7 | Very high |
| Oct | 5 | Moderate |
| Nov | 3 | Moderate |
| Dec | 2 | Low |
Air quality in Kaesŏng in Summer
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where summer falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Kaesŏng is worst in March — around 89 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 1.8× the cleanest month (August, 49 µg/m³).
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 83 | 80 | 89 | 78 | 68 | 60 | 50 | 49 | 58 | 76 | 85 | 80 |
| Level | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Poor | Poor | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 83 | Unhealthy |
| Feb | 80 | Unhealthy |
| Mar | 89 | Unhealthy |
| Apr | 78 | Unhealthy |
| May | 68 | Unhealthy |
| Jun | 60 | Unhealthy |
| Jul | 50 | Poor |
| Aug | 49 | Poor |
| Sep | 58 | Unhealthy |
| Oct | 76 | Unhealthy |
| Nov | 85 | Unhealthy |
| Dec | 80 | Unhealthy |
Where is Kaesŏng?
Kaesŏng sits at 38.0°N, 126.6°E, 42 m above sea level, in North Korea. The nearest listed city is Paech’ŏn-ŭp, 22 km away.
Topography around Kaesŏng
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Kaesŏng.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Kaesŏng has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 235 m around an average of 70 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 749 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,218 m.
The land around Kaesŏng is covered by artificial surfaces (30%), grassland (29%) and cropland (26%) within 3 km, trees (40%) and cropland (36%) within 16 km, and trees (38%), cropland (24%) and water (20%) within 80 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 Kaesŏng (37.9708°, 126.5544°, elevation 42 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.