Samjiyŏn-ŭp in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Samjiyŏn-ŭp sees average daytime highs around -10°C and overnight lows near -21°C, with 49 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 -10°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 42% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels dry.
Winter is Samjiyŏn-ŭp's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Samjiyŏn-ŭp's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- -10°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- -21°C
- Precipitation
- 49 mm
- 13 wet days
- Avg wind
- 9 km/h
- Travel score
- 0.0
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Samjiyŏn-ŭp in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around -10°C.
A typical winter day in Samjiyŏn-ŭp reaches about -10°C and drops to -21°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest January.
How winter really feels in Samjiyŏn-ŭp
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.
Samjiyŏn-ŭp 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 | -12° / -23° | 10 | 3 | 4.3 | 9.3 | 0.0 |
| Feb | -9° / -20° | 20 | 4.6 | 6.1 | 10.3 | 0.0 |
| Mar | -2° / -13° | 40 | 9.2 | 10.2 | 11.7 | 0.0 |
| Apr | 7° / -4° | 69 | 12 | 9.7 | 13.1 | 0.9 |
| May | 14° / 3° | 123 | 17 | 3.3 | 14.3 | 3.5 |
| Jun | 19° / 9° | 160 | 19.3 | 0.1 | 15 | 4.5 |
| Jul | 22° / 13° | 223 | 20.7 | 0 | 14.7 | 4.9 |
| Aug | 21° / 12° | 171 | 17.1 | 0 | 13.7 | 5.3 |
| Sep | 16° / 5° | 79 | 9.3 | 0.1 | 12.3 | 5.2 |
| Oct | 9° / -3° | 48 | 8.5 | 4.8 | 10.9 | 1.8 |
| Nov | -2° / -13° | 42 | 8.6 | 8.5 | 9.6 | 0.0 |
| Dec | -10° / -21° | 19 | 5.2 | 6.6 | 9 | 0.0 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 42% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Samjiyŏn-ŭp gets around 49 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 9 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 9 h 12 min in early December to 10 h 54 min 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 Samjiyŏn-ŭp
None of Samjiyŏn-ŭp's seasonal hazards peak in winter. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do.
Samjiyŏn-ŭp's rainy season runs May–August, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is winter a good time to visit Samjiyŏn-ŭp?
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 Samjiyŏn-ŭp.
What to pack for Samjiyŏn-ŭp in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Samjiyŏn-ŭp sees daytime highs around -10°C and nights near -21°C. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. About 13 days see rain.
UV index in Samjiyŏn-ŭp 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 Samjiyŏn-ŭp peaks around August 18 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 1 (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 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Level | Low | Moderate | Moderate | High | Very high | Very high | High | Very high | Very high | Moderate | Moderate | Low |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2 | Low |
| Feb | 2 | Moderate |
| Mar | 4 | Moderate |
| Apr | 6 | High |
| May | 7 | Very high |
| Jun | 7 | Very high |
| Jul | 6 | High |
| Aug | 8 | Very high |
| Sep | 7 | Very high |
| Oct | 4 | Moderate |
| Nov | 2 | Moderate |
| Dec | 1 | Low |
Air quality in Samjiyŏn-ŭp 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 Samjiyŏn-ŭp is worst in March — around 32 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.6× the cleanest month (August, 12 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) | 20 | 23 | 32 | 31 | 28 | 19 | 15 | 12 | 13 | 22 | 18 | 18 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 20 | Moderate |
| Feb | 23 | Moderate |
| Mar | 32 | Moderate |
| Apr | 31 | Moderate |
| May | 28 | Moderate |
| Jun | 19 | Moderate |
| Jul | 15 | Moderate |
| Aug | 12 | Moderate |
| Sep | 13 | Moderate |
| Oct | 22 | Moderate |
| Nov | 18 | Moderate |
| Dec | 18 | Moderate |
Where is Samjiyŏn-ŭp?
Samjiyŏn-ŭp sits at 41.8°N, 128.3°E, 1,364 m above sea level, in North Korea. The nearest listed city is Hyesan, 46 km away.
Topography around Samjiyŏn-ŭp
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Samjiyŏn-ŭp.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Samjiyŏn-ŭp has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 341 m around an average of 1,402 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,431 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,228 m.
The land around Samjiyŏn-ŭp is covered by trees (75%) within 3 km, trees (87%) within 16 km, and trees (87%) 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 Samjiyŏn-ŭp (41.8036°, 128.3189°, elevation 1,364 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.