Pyongyang weather in May

In May, Pyongyang sees average daytime highs of 23°C and overnight lows near 12°C, with 94 mm of rain across 7.9 wet days and about 14.1 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 4th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 21°C in the first days to 25°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 42% 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 Pyongyang's 9th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Pyongyang's year-round climate.

Daytime high
23°
5th warmest
Overnight low
12°
8th coldest
Rainfall
94 mm
7.9 wet days
Daylight
14 h 06 min
5:29 AM – 7:37 PM
Cloud cover
52%
9th clearest
Wind
10 km/h
5th windiest
Solar energy
5.81 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.2
out of 10

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 21°C in the first days to 25°C by the end.

A typical May day in Pyongyang reaches about 23°C in the afternoon and slips back to 12°C overnight — a 11°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 18°C and 28°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 6°C warmer than April and about 4°C cooler than June.

10°15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
1219
22110
32110
42110
52110
62210
72210
82211
92211
102211
112211
122211
132212
142312
152312
162312
172312
182312
192413
202413
212413
222413
232413
242413
252514
262514
272514
282514
292514
302515
312615

How May really feels in Pyongyang

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.

Pyongyang weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 4th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan-0° / -9°133.32.89.60.0
Feb / -6°193.82.210.50.1
Mar10° / -1°274.41.111.72.4
Apr17° / 536.60.2136.0
May23° / 12°947.9014.17.2
Jun27° / 18°1079.9014.76.4
Jul29° / 22°26315.7014.54.8
Aug29° / 22°21913.8013.55.0
Sep25° / 16°916.7012.37.3
Oct19° / 435.80116.8
Nov10° / 457.10.69.92.4
Dec / -6°235.52.89.30.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 42% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 11% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 47%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15347
25248
35248
45149
55248
65149
75149
85149
95149
105248
115248
125248
135347
145347
155347
165347
175347
185446
195446
205545
215545
225545
235644
245644
255644
265644
275446
285446
295446
305446
315347

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Pyongyang gets around 94 mm of rain over 7.9 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 25% and peaks near 28% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
127
227
327
428
528
628
728
828
928
1028
1128
1228
1328
1428
1527
1627
1726
1825
1925
2024
2124
2223
2323
2422
2522
2622
2721
2821
2921
3021
3122

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 76% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
193700
293700
393700
492800
592800
691900
791900
891900
9901000
10901000
11881110
12871210
13861310
14851410
15831610
16821710
17791920
18772120
19742330
20722530
21702640
22682840
23653050
24643150
25613360
26593470
27573580
28543790
295237110
304938130
314639151

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
311calm
411calm
511calm
611calm
711calm
811calm
911calm
1011calm
1111calm
1211calm
1311calm
1411calm
1510calm
1610calm
1710calm
1810calm
1910calm
2010calm
2110calm
2210calm
2310calm
2410calm
2510calm
2610calm
2710calm
2810calm
2910calm
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 5:46 AM to 5:19 AM, and sunset from 7:23 PM to 7:50 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.65:467:23
213.75:457:24
313.75:437:25
413.75:427:26
513.85:417:27
613.85:407:28
713.85:397:28
813.95:377:29
913.95:367:30
1013.95:357:31
1114.05:347:32
1214.05:337:33
1314.05:327:34
1414.15:317:35
1514.15:307:36
1614.15:297:37
1714.25:297:38
1814.25:287:39
1914.25:277:40
2014.25:267:41
2114.35:257:42
2214.35:257:42
2314.35:247:43
2414.45:237:44
2514.45:227:45
2614.45:227:46
2714.45:217:47
2814.45:217:47
2914.55:207:48
3014.55:207:49
3114.55:197:50

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.81 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.22 kWh/m² to a high of 5.81 kWh/m² in May across the year — May's 5.81 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.6Bright
25.6Bright
35.6Bright
45.6Bright
55.6Bright
65.6Bright
75.6Bright
85.6Bright
95.6Bright
105.6Bright
115.7Bright
125.7Bright
135.7Bright
145.7Bright
155.7Bright
165.8Bright
175.8Bright
185.8Bright
195.8Bright
205.9Bright
215.9Bright
225.9Bright
236.0Bright
246.0Bright
256.0Intense
266.0Intense
276.0Intense
286.1Intense
296.1Intense
306.1Intense
316.1Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Pyongyang

In seasonPeak

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

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

Pyongyang's rainy season runs July–August, 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 Pyongyang?

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

7.2
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
5.5
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is one of the better times to visit Pyongyang for general sightseeing.

What to pack for Pyongyang in May

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

In May, Pyongyang sees daytime highs around 23°C and nights near 12°C. Worth packing: light clothes and sun protection. About 8 days see rain.

light clothessun protection

Sea temperature near Pyongyang 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 50 km away) is warmest in August at about 25°C and coldest in February near -0°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 3 to Oct 2 — about 3 months when the water holds above 20°C.

0°10°20°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan2Bracing
Feb0Bracing
Mar2Bracing
Apr7Bracing
May13Bracing
Jun18Cool
Jul22Refreshing
Aug25Warm
Sep23Refreshing
Oct18Cool
Nov12Bracing
Dec6Bracing

UV index in Pyongyang 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 Pyongyang peaks around August 16 at about 7 (very high) — sunscreen and a hat are worth it in the middle of the day. It bottoms out near December 20 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 highModerateLowAug 16UV 7Dec 20UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar3Moderate
Apr6High
May7High
Jun6High
Jul7High
Aug8Very high
Sep7High
Oct4Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Pyongyang 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 Pyongyang is worst in January — around 201 µg/m³ PM2.5 (very unhealthy), about 2.0× the cleanest month (July, 102 µg/m³).

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

0306090120150180210JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery unhealthyUnhealthyVery unhealthyJan 15198 µg/m³Jul 21103 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan201Very unhealthy
Feb171Very unhealthy
Mar180Very unhealthy
Apr150Unhealthy
May132Unhealthy
Jun124Unhealthy
Jul102Unhealthy
Aug107Unhealthy
Sep152Very unhealthy
Oct182Very unhealthy
Nov195Very unhealthy
Dec181Very unhealthy
Location & terrain

Where is Pyongyang?

Pyongyang sits at 39.0°N, 125.8°E, 43 m above sea level, in North Korea. The nearest listed city is Man’gyŏngdae-ri, 9.0 km away.

Topography around Pyongyang

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Pyongyang has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 81 m around an average of 17 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 356 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,357 m.

The land around Pyongyang is covered by artificial surfaces (70%) within 3 km, cropland (53%) and trees (20%) within 16 km, and cropland (40%) and trees (33%) within 80 km.

3 km
81 m
16 km
356 m
80 km
1,357 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Man’gyŏngdae-ri 9.0 km · Kangsŏn 18 km · Chunghwa 19 km · Sunan 20 km · Sŭngho 1-tong 20 km · P’yŏngsŏng 26 km · Hŭkkyo-ri 26 km · Songnim-ni 32 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 Pyongyang (39.0339°, 125.7543°, elevation 43 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).