Pyongyang in Spring
In spring (March, April and May), Pyongyang sees average daytime highs around 17°C and overnight lows near 6°C, with 174 mm of precipitation over about 19 wet days across the season. It is the 3rd-warmest season and the 3rd-wettest season.
Over the season highs climb from about 7°C in early March to 25°C by late May. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 45% of the time across spring, and the air most often feels dry.
Spring is Pyongyang's 3rd-best season to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Pyongyang's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 17°C
- 3rd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 6°C
- Precipitation
- 174 mm
- 19 wet days
- Avg wind
- 11 km/h
- Travel score
- 5.2
- 3rd-best season
- Months
- Mar · Apr · May
Temperature in Pyongyang in Spring
Over the season highs climb from about 7°C in early March to 25°C by late May.
A typical spring day in Pyongyang reaches about 17°C and drops to 6°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is May, the coolest March.
How spring really feels in Pyongyang
Once humidity and wind are folded in, spring brings about 0 days that feel above 32°C and 34 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in spring is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.
Pyongyang weather by month
How the three spring months (March, April and May) 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 | -0° / -9° | 13 | 3.3 | 2.8 | 9.6 | 0.0 |
| Feb | 3° / -6° | 19 | 3.8 | 2.2 | 10.5 | 0.1 |
| Mar | 10° / -1° | 27 | 4.4 | 1.1 | 11.7 | 2.4 |
| Apr | 17° / 6° | 53 | 6.6 | 0.2 | 13 | 6.0 |
| May | 23° / 12° | 94 | 7.9 | 0 | 14.1 | 7.2 |
| Jun | 27° / 18° | 107 | 9.9 | 0 | 14.7 | 6.4 |
| Jul | 29° / 22° | 263 | 15.7 | 0 | 14.5 | 4.8 |
| Aug | 29° / 22° | 219 | 13.8 | 0 | 13.5 | 5.0 |
| Sep | 25° / 16° | 91 | 6.7 | 0 | 12.3 | 7.3 |
| Oct | 19° / 8° | 43 | 5.8 | 0 | 11 | 6.8 |
| Nov | 10° / 1° | 45 | 7.1 | 0.6 | 9.9 | 2.4 |
| Dec | 2° / -6° | 23 | 5.5 | 2.8 | 9.3 | 0.0 |
Cloud cover in Spring
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 45% of the time across spring.
Chance of precipitation in Spring
Pyongyang gets around 174 mm of rain and snow over 19 wet days across spring. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Spring
Most of spring feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Spring
Winds average 11 km/h across spring.
Sunrise & sunset in Spring
Daylight runs from about 11 hours in early March to 14 h 30 min by late May. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Spring
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across spring, about 5.3 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Pyongyang
In spring, Pyongyang overlaps 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.
Is spring a good time to visit Pyongyang?
Our two travel scores rate spring for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
spring is a reasonable time to visit Pyongyang for sightseeing.
What to pack for Pyongyang in Spring
From spring's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In spring, Pyongyang sees daytime highs around 17°C and nights near 6°C. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: light clothes and sun protection. About 19 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Pyongyang in Spring
The nearest coast averages about 7°C across spring — 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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 13 | 18 | 22 | 25 | 23 | 18 | 12 | 6 |
| Comfort | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Cool | Refreshing | Warm | Refreshing | Cool | Bracing | Bracing |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2 | Bracing |
| Feb | 0 | Bracing |
| Mar | 2 | Bracing |
| Apr | 7 | Bracing |
| May | 13 | Bracing |
| Jun | 18 | Cool |
| Jul | 22 | Refreshing |
| Aug | 25 | Warm |
| Sep | 23 | Refreshing |
| Oct | 18 | Cool |
| Nov | 12 | Bracing |
| Dec | 6 | Bracing |
UV index in Pyongyang in Spring
Clear-sky midday UV across spring averages around 5 — 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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 2 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| Level | Low | Moderate | Moderate | High | High | High | High | Very high | High | Moderate | Moderate | Low |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2 | Low |
| Feb | 2 | Moderate |
| Mar | 3 | Moderate |
| Apr | 6 | High |
| May | 7 | High |
| Jun | 6 | High |
| Jul | 7 | High |
| Aug | 8 | Very high |
| Sep | 7 | High |
| Oct | 4 | Moderate |
| Nov | 2 | Moderate |
| Dec | 2 | Low |
Air quality in Pyongyang in Spring
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where spring 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).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 201 | 171 | 180 | 150 | 132 | 124 | 102 | 107 | 152 | 182 | 195 | 181 |
| Level | Very unhealthy | Very unhealthy | Very unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Very unhealthy | Very unhealthy | Very unhealthy | Very unhealthy |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 201 | Very unhealthy |
| Feb | 171 | Very unhealthy |
| Mar | 180 | Very unhealthy |
| Apr | 150 | Unhealthy |
| May | 132 | Unhealthy |
| Jun | 124 | Unhealthy |
| Jul | 102 | Unhealthy |
| Aug | 107 | Unhealthy |
| Sep | 152 | Very unhealthy |
| Oct | 182 | Very unhealthy |
| Nov | 195 | Very unhealthy |
| Dec | 181 | Very unhealthy |
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.
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.