Pyongyang in Summer
In summer (June, July and August), Pyongyang sees average daytime highs around 28°C and overnight lows near 20°C, with 589 mm of rain over about 39 wet days across the season. It is the warmest season of the year and the wettest season of the year.
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 28°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 25% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels muggy.
Summer is Pyongyang's 2nd-best season to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Pyongyang's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 28°C
- warmest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 20°C
- Rainfall
- 589 mm
- 39 wet days
- Avg wind
- 9 km/h
- Travel score
- 5.4
- 2nd-best season
- Months
- Jun · Jul · Aug
Temperature in Pyongyang in Summer
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 28°C.
A typical summer day in Pyongyang 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 Pyongyang
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.
Pyongyang 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 | -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 Summer
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 25% of the time across summer.
Chance of precipitation in Summer
Pyongyang gets around 589 mm of rain over 39 wet days across summer. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Summer
Most of summer feels muggy — 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 30 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 4.9 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Pyongyang
In summer, Pyongyang overlaps its pacific typhoon and rainy season 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 summer a good time to visit Pyongyang?
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 Pyongyang for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Pyongyang in Summer
From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In summer, Pyongyang sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 20°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 39 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Pyongyang 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 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 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 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 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 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.