Sunch’ŏn weather in December

In December, Sunch’ŏn sees average daytime highs of 0°C and overnight lows near -8°C, with 29 mm of precipitation across 5.9 wet days and about 9.3 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 3°C in the first days to -1°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 55% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 24 min at the start of December to 9 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Sunch’ŏn's 2nd-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Sunch’ŏn's year-round climate.

Daytime high
11th warmest
Overnight low
-8°
2nd coldest
Precipitation
29 mm
5.9 wet days
Daylight
9 h 12 min
7:55 AM – 5:09 PM
Cloud cover
39%
2nd clearest
Wind
8 km/h
7th windiest
Solar energy
2.18 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 3°C in the first days to -1°C by the end.

A typical December day in Sunch’ŏn reaches about 0°C in the afternoon and slips back to -8°C overnight — a 9°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between -6°C and 6°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 8°C cooler than November and about 2°C warmer than January.

-20°-10°10°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13-5
23-5
33-5
42-5
52-6
62-6
72-6
81-7
91-7
101-7
111-7
121-8
130-8
140-8
150-8
160-8
170-9
180-9
190-9
200-9
210-9
22-1-9
23-1-9
24-1-10
25-1-10
26-1-10
27-1-10
28-1-10
29-1-11
30-1-11
31-1-11

How December really feels in Sunch’ŏn

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 31 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
31
25 feel bitter (≤ -10°C)

The story in December is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.

Sunch’ŏn weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 11th-warmest and 10th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan-2° / -12°153.13.49.50.0
Feb / -8°244.23.310.50.0
Mar / -2°325.82.111.71.8
Apr16° / 637.60.5135.3
May22° / 11°1089.1014.16.9
Jun26° / 16°13111.7014.76.3
Jul28° / 21°33018.1014.55.0
Aug28° / 20°27015.7013.55.1
Sep24° / 15°1107.9012.37.1
Oct18° / 577.30116.2
Nov / -1°608.11.49.81.7
Dec / -8°295.94.39.30.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 55% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 13% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 33%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16139
26139
36238
46238
56337
66337
76436
86535
96535
106634
116634
126733
136832
146832
156931
166931
177030
187030
197030
207030
217030
227030
237030
247030
257030
267030
277030
287030
297030
307030
317030

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Sunch’ŏn gets around 29 mm of rain and snow over 5.9 wet days in December. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 20% and peaks near 24% on the wettest days, and about 4 days bring snow. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
12411
22412
32412
42413
52413
62414
72314
82314
92315
102315
112315
122215
132215
142115
152115
162015
171914
181814
191814
201714
211713
221613
231613
241613
251613
261513
271513
281513
291413
301414
311414

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of December feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, December lands in the dry band about 100% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)
1100
2100
3100
4100
5100
6100
7100
8100
9100
10100
11100
12100
13100
14100
15100
16100
17100
18100
19100
20100
21100
22100
23100
24100
25100
26100
27100
28100
29100
30100
31100

Wind in December

Winds average 8 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 8 km/h on the calmest days to 8 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
18calm
28calm
38calm
48calm
58calm
68calm
78calm
88calm
98calm
108calm
118calm
128calm
138calm
148calm
158calm
168calm
178calm
188calm
198calm
208calm
218calm
228calm
238calm
248calm
258calm
268calm
278calm
288calm
298calm
308calm
318calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 24 min at the start of December to 9 h 18 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 6 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 7:43 AM to 8:02 AM, and sunset from 5:09 PM to 5:17 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.47:435:09
29.47:445:09
39.47:455:08
49.47:465:08
59.47:475:08
69.37:485:08
79.37:495:08
89.37:505:08
99.37:505:08
109.37:515:08
119.37:525:08
129.37:535:08
139.37:535:09
149.27:545:09
159.27:555:09
169.27:555:09
179.27:565:10
189.27:575:10
199.27:575:10
209.27:585:11
219.27:585:11
229.27:595:12
239.27:595:12
249.28:005:13
259.28:005:13
269.28:005:14
279.28:015:14
289.28:015:15
299.28:015:16
309.28:025:16
319.38:025:17

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 2.18 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.18 kWh/m² to a high of 5.67 kWh/m² in May across the year — December's 2.18 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.2Moderate
22.1Moderate
32.1Moderate
42.1Moderate
52.1Moderate
62.1Moderate
72.1Moderate
82.1Moderate
92.2Moderate
102.2Moderate
112.2Moderate
122.2Moderate
132.2Moderate
142.2Moderate
152.2Moderate
162.2Moderate
172.2Moderate
182.2Moderate
192.2Moderate
202.2Moderate
212.2Moderate
222.2Moderate
232.2Moderate
242.2Moderate
252.3Moderate
262.3Moderate
272.3Moderate
282.3Moderate
292.3Moderate
302.3Moderate
312.3Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Sunch’ŏn

In seasonPeak

In December, Sunch’ŏn sits inside its pacific typhoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Sunch’ŏn sits in the Pacific typhoon belt; the season peaks July–October.

Sunch’ŏn'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 December a good time to visit Sunch’ŏn?

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

0.0
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Sunch’ŏn.

What to pack for Sunch’ŏn in December

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

In December, Sunch’ŏn sees daytime highs around 0°C and nights near -8°C. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. About 6 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coat

Sea temperature near Sunch’ŏn in December

The nearest coast averages about 6°C in December — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 48 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 Sunch’ŏn in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 2. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Sunch’ŏn peaks around August 19 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen and a hat are worth it in the middle of the day. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highModerateLowAug 19UV 8Dec 19UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar3Moderate
Apr5High
May7High
Jun7High
Jul6High
Aug8Very high
Sep7Very high
Oct4Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Sunch’ŏn in December

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where December falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Sunch’ŏn is worst in January — around 159 µg/m³ PM2.5 (very unhealthy), about 2.3× the cleanest month (July, 70 µg/m³).

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

0306090120150180JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecUnhealthyJan 18156 µg/m³Jul 2271 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan159Very unhealthy
Feb137Unhealthy
Mar130Unhealthy
Apr111Unhealthy
May95Unhealthy
Jun85Unhealthy
Jul70Unhealthy
Aug73Unhealthy
Sep98Unhealthy
Oct118Unhealthy
Nov126Unhealthy
Dec125Unhealthy
Location & terrain

Where is Sunch’ŏn?

Sunch’ŏn sits at 39.4°N, 125.9°E, 72 m above sea level, in North Korea. The nearest listed city is P’yŏngsŏng, 21 km away.

SinanjuKangdong-ŭpCh’ŏsal-li

Topography around Sunch’ŏn

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Sunch’ŏn has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 153 m around an average of 60 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 833 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,856 m.

The land around Sunch’ŏn is covered by cropland (36%), artificial surfaces (26%) and trees (20%) within 3 km, cropland (47%) and trees (38%) within 16 km, and trees (47%) and cropland (34%) within 80 km.

3 km
153 m
16 km
833 m
80 km
1,856 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: P’yŏngsŏng 21 km · Paek'ak 28 km · Kaech’ŏn 30 km · Anju 31 km · Sunan 33 km · Sinanju 33 km · Kangdong-ŭp 35 km · Ch’ŏsal-li 37 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 Sunch’ŏn (39.4317°, 125.9328°, elevation 72 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).