Kowŏn-ŭp weather in May

In May, Kowŏn-ŭp sees average daytime highs of 22°C and overnight lows near 11°C, with 93 mm of rain across 8.5 wet days and about 14.1 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 20°C in the first days to 24°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 38% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 36 min at the start of May to 14 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Kowŏn-ŭp's 8th-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Kowŏn-ŭp's year-round climate.

Daytime high
22°
5th warmest
Overnight low
11°
8th coldest
Rainfall
93 mm
8.5 wet days
Daylight
14 h 12 min
5:23 AM – 7:32 PM
Cloud cover
55%
8th clearest
Wind
10 km/h
7th windiest
Solar energy
5.84 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.0
out of 10

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 20°C in the first days to 24°C by the end.

A typical May day in Kowŏn-ŭp reaches about 22°C in the afternoon and slips back to 11°C overnight — a 11°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 16°C and 28°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 6°C warmer than April and about 3°C cooler than June.

10°20°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
1208
2208
3208
4209
5209
6219
7219
8219
92110
102110
112110
122110
132210
142210
152211
162211
172211
182211
192311
202312
212312
222312
232312
242412
252412
262413
272413
282413
292413
302413
312413

How May really feels in Kowŏn-ŭp

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 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
0
wind chill below the day's low

May sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Kowŏn-ŭp weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 5th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / -10°334.859.50.0
Feb / -7°314.84.410.50.0
Mar / -2°426.94.311.72.2
Apr17° / 616.81135.6
May22° / 11°938.5014.17.0
Jun25° / 16°11310.3014.76.6
Jul27° / 20°23715.2014.55.4
Aug28° / 20°24015.8013.55.3
Sep24° / 14°1289.5012.36.9
Oct18° / 657.40116.4
Nov10° / 728.21.69.82.4
Dec / -6°3653.89.30.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 38% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 14% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 48%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15446
25347
35248
45149
55050
65050
75050
84951
94951
104951
115050
125149
135149
145149
155149
165248
175347
185446
195347
205446
215446
225545
235545
245545
255446
265446
275347
285347
295347
305149
315149

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Kowŏn-ŭp gets around 93 mm of rain over 8.5 wet days in May. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 27% and peaks near 29% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
127
228
328
428
529
629
729
829
929
1029
1129
1229
1329
1429
1529
1629
1728
1828
1928
2027
2127
2227
2326
2426
2525
2625
2725
2824
2924
3024
3124

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, May lands in the dry band about 83% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
19730
29730
39730
49730
59640
69640
79640
89550
99550
109550
119460
129370
139280
149190
1590100
1688120
1786131
1884151
1983161
2081181
2180191
2277212
2375232
2474242
2571263
2669283
2766304
2863325
2961345
3057367
3155378

Wind in May

Winds average 10 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 9 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
310calm
410calm
510calm
610calm
710calm
810calm
910calm
1010calm
1110calm
1210calm
1310calm
1410calm
1510calm
1610calm
1710calm
1810calm
1910calm
2010calm
219calm
229calm
239calm
249calm
259calm
269calm
279calm
289calm
299calm
309calm
319calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 36 min at the start of May to 14 h 30 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 54 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:39 AM to 5:12 AM, and sunset from 7:17 PM to 7:45 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.65:397:17
213.75:387:18
313.75:377:19
413.75:357:20
513.85:347:21
613.85:337:22
713.95:327:23
813.95:317:24
913.95:307:25
1014.05:287:26
1114.05:277:27
1214.05:267:28
1314.15:257:29
1414.15:247:30
1514.15:237:31
1614.25:237:32
1714.25:227:33
1814.25:217:34
1914.25:207:35
2014.35:197:36
2114.35:187:37
2214.35:187:37
2314.45:177:38
2414.45:167:39
2514.45:157:40
2614.45:157:41
2714.55:147:42
2814.55:147:43
2914.55:137:43
3014.55:127:44
3114.55:127:45

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.84 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.25 kWh/m² to a high of 5.84 kWh/m² in May across the year — May's 5.84 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.7Bright
25.7Bright
35.7Bright
45.7Bright
55.7Bright
65.7Bright
75.7Bright
85.7Bright
95.7Bright
105.7Bright
115.7Bright
125.7Bright
135.7Bright
145.8Bright
155.8Bright
165.8Bright
175.8Bright
185.9Bright
195.9Bright
205.9Bright
215.9Bright
226.0Bright
236.0Bright
246.0Intense
256.0Intense
266.0Intense
276.1Intense
286.1Intense
296.1Intense
306.1Intense
316.1Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Kowŏn-ŭp

In seasonPeak

In May, Kowŏn-ŭp sits inside its pacific typhoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Kowŏn-ŭp sits in the Pacific typhoon belt; the season peaks July–October.

Kowŏn-ŭp'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 May a good time to visit Kowŏn-ŭp?

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

7.0
Sightseeing
1st-best month of the year
4.9
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is one of the better times to visit Kowŏn-ŭp for general sightseeing.

What to pack for Kowŏn-ŭp in May

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

In May, Kowŏn-ŭp sees daytime highs around 22°C and nights near 11°C. Worth packing: light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 9 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Kowŏn-ŭp in May

The nearest coast averages about 13°C in May — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 34 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 2 to Sep 30 — about 3 months when the water holds above 20°C.

0°10°20°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan5Bracing
Feb4Bracing
Mar5Bracing
Apr8Bracing
May13Bracing
Jun18Cool
Jul22Refreshing
Aug24Warm
Sep22Refreshing
Oct18Cool
Nov13Bracing
Dec8Bracing

UV index in Kowŏn-ŭp in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks 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 Kowŏn-ŭp peaks around August 19 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 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 19UV 8Dec 19UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May7High
Jun7Very high
Jul6High
Aug8Very high
Sep7Very high
Oct5Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Kowŏn-ŭp in May

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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

Air quality in Kowŏn-ŭp 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 Kowŏn-ŭp?

Kowŏn-ŭp sits at 39.4°N, 127.2°E, 9 m above sea level, in North Korea. The nearest listed city is Wŏnsan, 36 km away.

WŏnsanAnbyŏn-ŭpHŭngnamHamhŭngKosanYŏnggwang-ŭpT’ongch’ŏn-ŭpSamho-rodongjagu

Topography around Kowŏn-ŭp

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Kowŏn-ŭp has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 55 m around an average of 11 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,101 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,890 m.

The land around Kowŏn-ŭp is covered by cropland (86%) within 3 km, cropland (50%) and trees (37%) within 16 km, and trees (59%) and water (21%) within 80 km.

3 km
55 m
16 km
1,101 m
80 km
1,890 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
May weather nearby: Wŏnsan 36 km · Anbyŏn-ŭp 50 km · Hŭngnam 56 km · Hamhŭng 59 km · Kosan 66 km · Yŏnggwang-ŭp 67 km · T’ongch’ŏn-ŭp 78 km · Samho-rodongjagu 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 Kowŏn-ŭp (39.4381°, 127.2431°, elevation 9 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).