Pyeongchang weather in May
In May, Pyeongchang sees average daytime highs of 21°C and overnight lows near 10°C, with 89 mm of rain across 8.7 wet days and about 14 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.
Highs climb over the month, from about 19°C in the first days to 22°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 37% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.
Daylight stretches from about 13 h 30 min at the start of May to 14 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Pyeongchang's 8th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Pyeongchang's year-round climate.
- Daytime high
- 21°
- 5th warmest
- Overnight low
- 10°
- 8th coldest
- Rainfall
- 89 mm
- 8.7 wet days
- Daylight
- 14 hours
- 5:23 AM – 7:23 PM
- Cloud cover
- 56%
- 8th clearest
- Wind
- 9 km/h
- 6th windiest
- Solar energy
- 5.83 kWh/m²
- Travel score
- 6.6
- out of 10
Temperature in May
Highs climb over the month, from about 19°C in the first days to 22°C by the end.
A typical May day in Pyeongchang reaches about 21°C in the afternoon and slips back to 10°C overnight — a 11°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 16°C and 25°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 5°C warmer than April and about 3°C cooler than June.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high (°C) | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 23 |
| Avg low (°C) | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 |
| Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 19 | 8 |
| 2 | 19 | 8 |
| 3 | 19 | 8 |
| 4 | 19 | 8 |
| 5 | 19 | 8 |
| 6 | 19 | 9 |
| 7 | 20 | 9 |
| 8 | 20 | 9 |
| 9 | 20 | 9 |
| 10 | 20 | 9 |
| 11 | 20 | 9 |
| 12 | 20 | 10 |
| 13 | 20 | 10 |
| 14 | 20 | 10 |
| 15 | 20 | 10 |
| 16 | 21 | 10 |
| 17 | 21 | 10 |
| 18 | 21 | 11 |
| 19 | 21 | 11 |
| 20 | 21 | 11 |
| 21 | 21 | 11 |
| 22 | 21 | 11 |
| 23 | 22 | 11 |
| 24 | 22 | 12 |
| 25 | 22 | 12 |
| 26 | 22 | 12 |
| 27 | 22 | 12 |
| 28 | 22 | 12 |
| 29 | 23 | 12 |
| 30 | 23 | 13 |
| 31 | 23 | 13 |
How May really feels in Pyeongchang
Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.
May sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.
Pyeongchang weather by month
How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 5th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Snow days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 0° / -9° | 25 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 9.7 | 0.0 |
| Feb | 3° / -6° | 31 | 4.6 | 3.6 | 10.6 | 0.0 |
| Mar | 9° / -1° | 54 | 7.9 | 4 | 11.7 | 1.9 |
| Apr | 16° / 5° | 82 | 8.7 | 0.9 | 12.9 | 5.0 |
| May | 21° / 10° | 89 | 8.7 | 0 | 14 | 6.6 |
| Jun | 24° / 15° | 120 | 9.6 | 0 | 14.5 | 6.8 |
| Jul | 26° / 19° | 246 | 16.6 | 0 | 14.3 | 5.4 |
| Aug | 27° / 19° | 202 | 16 | 0 | 13.4 | 5.6 |
| Sep | 23° / 14° | 129 | 9 | 0 | 12.3 | 6.7 |
| Oct | 17° / 7° | 55 | 5.2 | 0 | 11 | 6.3 |
| Nov | 10° / 0° | 43 | 6.8 | 1.1 | 10 | 2.3 |
| Dec | 3° / -6° | 23 | 5.2 | 3.7 | 9.5 | 0.0 |
Cloud cover in May
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 37% of the time in May.
Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 13% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 50%.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearer (%) | 53 | 52 | 52 | 51 | 51 | 51 | 51 | 50 | 49 | 50 | 49 | 49 | 48 | 49 | 48 | 48 | 48 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 51 | 50 | 50 | 51 | 51 | 51 | 51 | 50 | 50 | 49 |
| Cloudier (%) | 47 | 48 | 48 | 49 | 49 | 49 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 50 | 51 | 51 | 52 | 51 | 52 | 52 | 52 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 49 | 50 | 50 | 49 | 49 | 49 | 49 | 50 | 50 | 51 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 53 | 47 |
| 2 | 52 | 48 |
| 3 | 52 | 48 |
| 4 | 51 | 49 |
| 5 | 51 | 49 |
| 6 | 51 | 49 |
| 7 | 51 | 49 |
| 8 | 50 | 50 |
| 9 | 49 | 51 |
| 10 | 50 | 50 |
| 11 | 49 | 51 |
| 12 | 49 | 51 |
| 13 | 48 | 52 |
| 14 | 49 | 51 |
| 15 | 48 | 52 |
| 16 | 48 | 52 |
| 17 | 48 | 52 |
| 18 | 50 | 50 |
| 19 | 50 | 50 |
| 20 | 50 | 50 |
| 21 | 50 | 50 |
| 22 | 51 | 49 |
| 23 | 50 | 50 |
| 24 | 50 | 50 |
| 25 | 51 | 49 |
| 26 | 51 | 49 |
| 27 | 51 | 49 |
| 28 | 51 | 49 |
| 29 | 50 | 50 |
| 30 | 50 | 50 |
| 31 | 49 | 51 |
Chance of precipitation in May
Pyeongchang gets around 89 mm of rain over 8.7 wet days in May. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 28% and peaks near 31% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain chance (%) | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 23 |
| Rain chance (%) | |
|---|---|
| 1 | 30 |
| 2 | 30 |
| 3 | 30 |
| 4 | 30 |
| 5 | 30 |
| 6 | 30 |
| 7 | 30 |
| 8 | 30 |
| 9 | 30 |
| 10 | 30 |
| 11 | 30 |
| 12 | 31 |
| 13 | 31 |
| 14 | 31 |
| 15 | 31 |
| 16 | 30 |
| 17 | 30 |
| 18 | 30 |
| 19 | 29 |
| 20 | 29 |
| 21 | 28 |
| 22 | 28 |
| 23 | 27 |
| 24 | 27 |
| 25 | 26 |
| 26 | 25 |
| 27 | 25 |
| 28 | 24 |
| 29 | 23 |
| 30 | 23 |
| 31 | 23 |
Humidity in May
Most of May feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
By dew point, May lands in the dry band about 89% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry (%) | 96 | 96 | 95 | 95 | 95 | 94 | 94 | 94 | 94 | 94 | 93 | 93 | 93 | 93 | 92 | 92 | 91 | 90 | 90 | 89 | 88 | 88 | 87 | 85 | 85 | 83 | 82 | 80 | 78 | 76 | 73 |
| Comfortable (%) | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 23 |
| Humid (%) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Dry (%) | Comfortable (%) | Humid (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 96 | 3 | 1 |
| 2 | 96 | 3 | 1 |
| 3 | 95 | 4 | 1 |
| 4 | 95 | 4 | 1 |
| 5 | 95 | 4 | 1 |
| 6 | 94 | 5 | 1 |
| 7 | 94 | 5 | 1 |
| 8 | 94 | 5 | 1 |
| 9 | 94 | 5 | 1 |
| 10 | 94 | 5 | 1 |
| 11 | 93 | 6 | 1 |
| 12 | 93 | 6 | 1 |
| 13 | 93 | 6 | 1 |
| 14 | 93 | 6 | 1 |
| 15 | 92 | 7 | 1 |
| 16 | 92 | 7 | 1 |
| 17 | 91 | 8 | 1 |
| 18 | 90 | 9 | 1 |
| 19 | 90 | 9 | 1 |
| 20 | 89 | 10 | 1 |
| 21 | 88 | 11 | 1 |
| 22 | 88 | 11 | 1 |
| 23 | 87 | 12 | 1 |
| 24 | 85 | 13 | 2 |
| 25 | 85 | 13 | 2 |
| 26 | 83 | 15 | 2 |
| 27 | 82 | 16 | 2 |
| 28 | 80 | 17 | 3 |
| 29 | 78 | 19 | 3 |
| 30 | 76 | 21 | 3 |
| 31 | 73 | 23 | 4 |
Wind in May
Winds average 9 km/h in May.
Across May, daily wind ranges from about 8 km/h on the calmest days to 10 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind speed (km/h) | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Feels | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm |
| Wind speed (km/h) | Feels | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | calm |
| 2 | 10 | calm |
| 3 | 10 | calm |
| 4 | 9 | calm |
| 5 | 9 | calm |
| 6 | 9 | calm |
| 7 | 9 | calm |
| 8 | 9 | calm |
| 9 | 9 | calm |
| 10 | 9 | calm |
| 11 | 9 | calm |
| 12 | 9 | calm |
| 13 | 9 | calm |
| 14 | 9 | calm |
| 15 | 9 | calm |
| 16 | 9 | calm |
| 17 | 9 | calm |
| 18 | 9 | calm |
| 19 | 9 | calm |
| 20 | 9 | calm |
| 21 | 8 | calm |
| 22 | 8 | calm |
| 23 | 8 | calm |
| 24 | 8 | calm |
| 25 | 8 | calm |
| 26 | 8 | calm |
| 27 | 8 | calm |
| 28 | 8 | calm |
| 29 | 8 | calm |
| 30 | 8 | calm |
| 31 | 8 | calm |
Sunrise & sunset in May
Daylight runs from about 13 h 30 min at the start of May to 14 h 24 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Days grow by about 54 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:38 AM to 5:13 AM, and sunset from 7:09 PM to 7:35 PM.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 13.5 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.7 | 13.7 | 13.7 | 13.8 | 13.8 | 13.8 | 13.9 | 13.9 | 13.9 | 13.9 | 14.0 | 14.0 | 14.0 | 14.1 | 14.1 | 14.1 | 14.1 | 14.2 | 14.2 | 14.2 | 14.2 | 14.3 | 14.3 | 14.3 | 14.3 | 14.3 | 14.4 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 5:38 | 5:37 | 5:36 | 5:35 | 5:33 | 5:32 | 5:31 | 5:30 | 5:29 | 5:28 | 5:27 | 5:26 | 5:25 | 5:24 | 5:24 | 5:23 | 5:22 | 5:21 | 5:20 | 5:19 | 5:19 | 5:18 | 5:17 | 5:17 | 5:16 | 5:16 | 5:15 | 5:14 | 5:14 | 5:13 | 5:13 |
| Sunset (PM) | 7:09 | 7:10 | 7:11 | 7:12 | 7:13 | 7:14 | 7:15 | 7:16 | 7:16 | 7:17 | 7:18 | 7:19 | 7:20 | 7:21 | 7:22 | 7:23 | 7:24 | 7:24 | 7:25 | 7:26 | 7:27 | 7:28 | 7:29 | 7:29 | 7:30 | 7:31 | 7:32 | 7:32 | 7:33 | 7:34 | 7:35 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13.5 | 5:38 | 7:09 |
| 2 | 13.6 | 5:37 | 7:10 |
| 3 | 13.6 | 5:36 | 7:11 |
| 4 | 13.6 | 5:35 | 7:12 |
| 5 | 13.7 | 5:33 | 7:13 |
| 6 | 13.7 | 5:32 | 7:14 |
| 7 | 13.7 | 5:31 | 7:15 |
| 8 | 13.8 | 5:30 | 7:16 |
| 9 | 13.8 | 5:29 | 7:16 |
| 10 | 13.8 | 5:28 | 7:17 |
| 11 | 13.9 | 5:27 | 7:18 |
| 12 | 13.9 | 5:26 | 7:19 |
| 13 | 13.9 | 5:25 | 7:20 |
| 14 | 13.9 | 5:24 | 7:21 |
| 15 | 14.0 | 5:24 | 7:22 |
| 16 | 14.0 | 5:23 | 7:23 |
| 17 | 14.0 | 5:22 | 7:24 |
| 18 | 14.1 | 5:21 | 7:24 |
| 19 | 14.1 | 5:20 | 7:25 |
| 20 | 14.1 | 5:19 | 7:26 |
| 21 | 14.1 | 5:19 | 7:27 |
| 22 | 14.2 | 5:18 | 7:28 |
| 23 | 14.2 | 5:17 | 7:29 |
| 24 | 14.2 | 5:17 | 7:29 |
| 25 | 14.2 | 5:16 | 7:30 |
| 26 | 14.3 | 5:16 | 7:31 |
| 27 | 14.3 | 5:15 | 7:32 |
| 28 | 14.3 | 5:14 | 7:32 |
| 29 | 14.3 | 5:14 | 7:33 |
| 30 | 14.3 | 5:13 | 7:34 |
| 31 | 14.4 | 5:13 | 7:35 |
Solar energy in May
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.83 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.
For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.45 kWh/m² to a high of 5.83 kWh/m² in May across the year — May's 5.83 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.7 | 5.7 | 5.7 | 5.7 | 5.7 | 5.7 | 5.7 | 5.7 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.1 | 6.1 | 6.1 | 6.1 |
| Level | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense |
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5.6 | Bright |
| 2 | 5.6 | Bright |
| 3 | 5.6 | Bright |
| 4 | 5.6 | Bright |
| 5 | 5.6 | Bright |
| 6 | 5.6 | Bright |
| 7 | 5.6 | Bright |
| 8 | 5.7 | Bright |
| 9 | 5.7 | Bright |
| 10 | 5.7 | Bright |
| 11 | 5.7 | Bright |
| 12 | 5.7 | Bright |
| 13 | 5.7 | Bright |
| 14 | 5.7 | Bright |
| 15 | 5.7 | Bright |
| 16 | 5.8 | Bright |
| 17 | 5.8 | Bright |
| 18 | 5.8 | Bright |
| 19 | 5.8 | Bright |
| 20 | 5.9 | Bright |
| 21 | 5.9 | Bright |
| 22 | 5.9 | Bright |
| 23 | 6.0 | Bright |
| 24 | 6.0 | Bright |
| 25 | 6.0 | Intense |
| 26 | 6.0 | Intense |
| 27 | 6.0 | Intense |
| 28 | 6.1 | Intense |
| 29 | 6.1 | Intense |
| 30 | 6.1 | Intense |
| 31 | 6.1 | Intense |
Hazard calendar for Pyeongchang
None of Pyeongchang's seasonal hazards are active in May. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.
Pyeongchang's rainy season runs June–September, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is May a good time to visit Pyeongchang?
Our two travel scores rate May for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).
May is a reasonable time to visit Pyeongchang for sightseeing.
What to pack for Pyeongchang in May
From May's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In May, Pyeongchang sees daytime highs around 21°C and nights near 10°C. Worth packing: rain gear and sun protection. About 9 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Pyeongchang in May
The nearest coast averages about 14°C in May — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 70 km away) is warmest in August at about 24°C and coldest in February near 9°C.
It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 1 to Oct 7 — about 3.3 months when the water holds above 20°C.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 10 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 14 | 18 | 22 | 24 | 22 | 19 | 16 | 13 |
| Comfort | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Cool | Refreshing | Warm | Refreshing | Cool | Cool | Bracing |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 10 | Bracing |
| Feb | 9 | Bracing |
| Mar | 9 | Bracing |
| Apr | 12 | Bracing |
| May | 14 | Bracing |
| Jun | 18 | Cool |
| Jul | 22 | Refreshing |
| Aug | 24 | Warm |
| Sep | 22 | Refreshing |
| Oct | 19 | Cool |
| Nov | 16 | Cool |
| Dec | 13 | Bracing |
UV index in Pyeongchang in May
Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks 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 Pyeongchang peaks around August 14 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 2 (low).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 10 months of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 2 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | High | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | High | Moderate | Low |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2 | Moderate |
| Feb | 3 | Moderate |
| Mar | 5 | Moderate |
| Apr | 6 | High |
| May | 7 | Very high |
| Jun | 8 | Very high |
| Jul | 9 | Very high |
| Aug | 9 | Very high |
| Sep | 8 | Very high |
| Oct | 5 | High |
| Nov | 3 | Moderate |
| Dec | 2 | Low |
Air quality in Pyeongchang in May
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where May falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Pyeongchang is worst in March — around 57 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 1.8× the cleanest month (August, 31 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) | 48 | 49 | 57 | 51 | 46 | 41 | 33 | 31 | 32 | 41 | 46 | 43 |
| Level | Poor | Poor | Unhealthy | Poor | Poor | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Poor | Poor |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 48 | Poor |
| Feb | 49 | Poor |
| Mar | 57 | Unhealthy |
| Apr | 51 | Poor |
| May | 46 | Poor |
| Jun | 41 | Poor |
| Jul | 33 | Moderate |
| Aug | 31 | Moderate |
| Sep | 32 | Moderate |
| Oct | 41 | Poor |
| Nov | 46 | Poor |
| Dec | 43 | Poor |
Where is Pyeongchang?
Pyeongchang sits at 37.4°N, 128.4°E, 0 m above sea level, in South Korea. The nearest listed city is Neietsu, 22 km away.
Topography around Pyeongchang
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Pyeongchang.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Pyeongchang has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 550 m around an average of 386 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,163 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,549 m.
The land around Pyeongchang is covered by trees (64%) and cropland (20%) within 3 km, trees (89%) within 16 km, and trees (83%) within 80 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
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 Pyeongchang (37.3703°, 128.3931°, elevation 0 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. 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).