Pyongyang in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Pyongyang sees average daytime highs around 2°C and overnight lows near -7°C, with 55 mm of precipitation over about 13 wet days across the season. It is the coldest season of the year and the driest season of the year.
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 2°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 52% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels dry.
Winter is Pyongyang's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Pyongyang's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 2°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- -7°C
- Precipitation
- 55 mm
- 13 wet days
- Avg wind
- 11 km/h
- Travel score
- 0.0
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Pyongyang in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 2°C.
A typical winter day in Pyongyang reaches about 2°C and drops to -7°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest January.
How winter really feels in Pyongyang
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 0 days that feel above 32°C and 90 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in winter is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.
Pyongyang weather by month
How the three winter months (December, January and February) 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 Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 52% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Pyongyang gets around 55 mm of rain and snow over 13 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 11 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 9 h 30 min in early December to 11 hours by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Winter
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across winter, about 2.8 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Pyongyang
In winter, 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 winter a good time to visit Pyongyang?
Our two travel scores rate winter for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
winter is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Pyongyang.
What to pack for Pyongyang in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Pyongyang sees daytime highs around 2°C and nights near -7°C. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. About 13 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Pyongyang in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 3°C across winter — 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 Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 2. 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 Winter
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where winter 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.