Donghae City weather in December

In December, Donghae City sees average daytime highs of 5°C and overnight lows near -3°C, with 35 mm of precipitation across 5 wet days and about 9.5 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 12th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 7°C in the first days to 3°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 58% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 36 min at the start of December to 9 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Donghae City's 1st-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Donghae City's year-round climate.

Daytime high
10th warmest
Overnight low
-3°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
35 mm
5 wet days
Daylight
9 h 24 min
7:37 AM – 5:02 PM
Cloud cover
37%
1st clearest
Wind
12 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
2.45 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.2
out of 10

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 7°C in the first days to 3°C by the end.

A typical December day in Donghae City reaches about 5°C in the afternoon and slips back to -3°C overnight — a 8°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between -1°C and 9°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 6°C cooler than November and about 3°C warmer than January.

-10°10°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
170
27-1
37-1
47-1
56-1
66-2
76-2
86-2
95-2
105-2
115-3
125-3
135-3
145-3
155-3
164-3
174-3
184-4
194-4
204-4
214-4
224-4
234-4
244-4
254-4
264-4
273-4
283-5
293-5
303-5
313-5

How December really feels in Donghae City

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
wind chill below the day's low

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

Donghae City weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 12th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / -6°455.859.70.0
Feb / -5°445.74.610.60.1
Mar / 688.64.811.72.0
Apr16° / 758.40.812.95.1
May21° / 12°757.80146.7
Jun23° / 16°1079.6014.56.8
Jul26° / 20°19713.4014.35.9
Aug26° / 21°21515.4013.45.7
Sep22° / 16°18511.6012.36.3
Oct18° / 8280116.1
Nov11° / 617.30.7103.1
Dec / -3°3552.79.50.2

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 58% of the time in December, the clearest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 12% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 30%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16634
26733
36733
46733
56634
66733
76733
86733
96832
106832
116832
126832
136832
146832
156832
166832
176931
186931
196931
207129
217129
227129
237129
247228
257327
267327
277327
287426
297426
307426
317327

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Donghae City gets around 35 mm of rain and snow over 5 wet days in December, the driest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 17% and peaks near 24% on the wettest days, and about 3 days bring snow. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1248
2238
3238
4238
5229
6219
7209
8209
9199
10189
11189
12178
13178
14168
15168
16158
17158
18158
19148
20148
21148
22148
23149
24149
25149
26149
271410
281410
291410
301411
311411

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 12 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 11 km/h on the calmest days to 12 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
111calm
211calm
311calm
411calm
511calm
611calm
712calm
812calm
912calm
1012calm
1112calm
1212calm
1312calm
1412calm
1512calm
1612calm
1712calm
1812calm
1912calm
2012calm
2112calm
2212calm
2312calm
2412calm
2512calm
2612calm
2712calm
2812calm
2912light breeze
3012light breeze
3112light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 36 min at the start of December to 9 h 24 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 12 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 7:25 AM to 7:44 AM, and sunset from 5:01 PM to 5:10 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.67:255:01
29.67:265:01
39.67:275:01
49.57:285:01
59.57:295:01
69.57:305:01
79.57:315:01
89.57:315:01
99.57:325:01
109.57:335:01
119.57:345:01
129.47:345:01
139.47:355:02
149.47:365:02
159.47:365:02
169.47:375:02
179.47:385:03
189.47:385:03
199.47:395:03
209.47:395:04
219.47:405:04
229.47:405:05
239.47:415:05
249.47:415:06
259.47:425:06
269.47:425:07
279.47:425:07
289.47:435:08
299.47:435:09
309.47:435:09
319.47:445:10

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 2.45 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.45 kWh/m² to a high of 5.97 kWh/m² in May across the year — December's 2.45 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.4Moderate
22.4Moderate
32.4Moderate
42.4Moderate
52.4Moderate
62.4Moderate
72.4Moderate
82.4Moderate
92.4Moderate
102.4Moderate
112.4Moderate
122.4Moderate
132.4Moderate
142.4Moderate
152.4Moderate
162.4Moderate
172.4Moderate
182.5Moderate
192.5Moderate
202.5Moderate
212.5Moderate
222.5Moderate
232.5Moderate
242.5Moderate
252.5Moderate
262.5Moderate
272.5Moderate
282.6Moderate
292.6Moderate
302.6Moderate
312.6Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Donghae City

In seasonPeak

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

Donghae City sits in the Pacific typhoon belt; the season peaks July–October.

Donghae City's rainy season runs June–September, 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 Donghae City?

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

0.2
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 Donghae City.

What to pack for Donghae City in December

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

In December, Donghae City sees daytime highs around 5°C and nights near -3°C. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. About 5 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coat

Sea temperature near Donghae City in December

The nearest coast averages about 14°C in December — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea offshore is warmest in August at about 24°C and coldest in February near 10°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 1 to Oct 11 — about 3.4 months when the water holds above 20°C.

10°15°20°25°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan11Bracing
Feb10Bracing
Mar10Bracing
Apr12Bracing
May15Bracing
Jun18Cool
Jul22Refreshing
Aug24Warm
Sep22Refreshing
Oct20Cool
Nov16Cool
Dec14Bracing

UV index in Donghae City 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 Donghae City peaks around August 16 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 23 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 highHighModerateAug 16UV 9Dec 23UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May7High
Jun7High
Jul8Very high
Aug9Very high
Sep8Very high
Oct5High
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Donghae City 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 Donghae City is worst in March — around 40 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 2.4× the cleanest month (September, 17 µg/m³).

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorModerateMar 2239 µg/m³Sep 1817 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan26Moderate
Feb30Moderate
Mar40Poor
Apr38Poor
May35Moderate
Jun30Moderate
Jul24Moderate
Aug21Moderate
Sep17Moderate
Oct20Moderate
Nov24Moderate
Dec22Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Donghae City?

Donghae City sits at 37.5°N, 129.1°E, 24 m above sea level, in South Korea. The nearest listed city is Santyoku, 13 km away.

T’aebaekJumunjinPyeongchangNeietsuSokchoYeongju

Topography around Donghae City

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Donghae City.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Donghae City has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 358 m around an average of 72 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,347 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,550 m.

The land around Donghae City is covered by trees (47%) and water (30%) within 3 km, water (47%) and trees (44%) within 16 km, and trees (62%) and water (33%) within 80 km.

3 km
358 m
16 km
1,347 m
80 km
1,550 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Santyoku 13 km · Gangneung 31 km · T’aebaek 42 km · Jumunjin 46 km · Pyeongchang 66 km · Neietsu 69 km · Sokcho 86 km · Yeongju 91 km

South Korea travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type C / F
220 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 57% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$36,227
2025
Happiness
6.0 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
99%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
0.5
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
8.6
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
English
Moderate
EF EPI 522
Religion
none 60%Protestant 17%Buddhist 16%Catholic 6%

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 Donghae City (37.5439°, 129.1069°, elevation 24 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).