Sokcho weather in May

In May, Sokcho sees average daytime highs of 18°C and overnight lows near 12°C, with 87 mm of rain across 7.9 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 17°C in the first days to 20°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 38% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 36 min at the start of May to 14 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Sokcho's 8th-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Sokcho's year-round climate.

Daytime high
18°
5th warmest
Overnight low
12°
8th coldest
Rainfall
87 mm
7.9 wet days
Daylight
14 h 06 min
5:20 AM – 7:24 PM
Cloud cover
55%
8th clearest
Wind
11 km/h
7th windiest
Solar energy
5.8 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.2
out of 10

Sokcho is human settlement.

Density
771/km²
people per km²

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 17°C in the first days to 20°C by the end.

A typical May day in Sokcho reaches about 18°C in the afternoon and slips back to 12°C overnight — a 7°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 14°C and 22°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 5°C warmer than April and about 3°C cooler than June.

10°15°20°25°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
1169
2179
31710
41710
51710
61710
71710
81710
91711
101811
111811
121811
131811
141811
151812
161812
171912
181912
191912
201912
211912
221913
231913
242013
252013
262013
272013
282014
292014
302014
312014

How May really feels in Sokcho

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.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

May sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Sokcho 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.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / -6°436.45.39.60.0
Feb / -4°3964.610.50.0
Mar / 548.24.411.71.4
Apr14° / 738.21134.2
May18° / 12°877.90146.2
Jun22° / 16°949.5014.66.6
Jul25° / 20°20714.1014.46.0
Aug25° / 21°20015.2013.55.9
Sep22° / 17°14910.4012.36.5
Oct17° / 10°717.30.1116.0
Nov10° / 668.31.59.92.6
Dec / -3°395.93.59.40.1

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 38% 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 49%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15248
25149
35050
44951
54951
64951
74951
84951
94852
104852
114951
125050
134951
145050
155050
165149
175149
185248
195248
205248
215347
225347
235347
245347
255347
265347
275347
285248
295248
305149
315149

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Sokcho gets around 87 mm of rain over 7.9 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 26% and peaks near 29% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
127
227
327
428
528
628
728
828
929
1029
1129
1229
1329
1429
1529
1629
1728
1828
1927
2027
2126
2225
2324
2423
2523
2622
2722
2821
2921
3021
3121

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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 86% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
19730
29730
39730
49730
59640
69640
79640
89640
99550
109550
119550
129550
139460
149370
159370
169280
1790100
1889110
1988120
2086140
2184151
2282171
2380191
2478211
2575241
2673261
2769292
2866322
2962353
3059374
3155405

Wind in May

Winds average 11 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 10 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
112calm
212calm
312calm
412calm
512calm
612calm
711calm
811calm
911calm
1011calm
1111calm
1211calm
1311calm
1411calm
1511calm
1611calm
1711calm
1811calm
1911calm
2011calm
2111calm
2211calm
2310calm
2410calm
2510calm
2610calm
2710calm
2810calm
2910calm
3010calm
3110calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 36 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 48 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:36 AM to 5:10 AM, and sunset from 7:10 PM to 7:36 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.65:367:10
213.65:357:11
313.65:337:12
413.75:327:13
513.75:317:14
613.75:307:15
713.85:297:15
813.85:287:16
913.85:277:17
1013.95:267:18
1113.95:257:19
1213.95:247:20
1314.05:237:21
1414.05:227:22
1514.05:217:23
1614.15:207:24
1714.15:197:25
1814.15:187:26
1914.15:177:26
2014.25:177:27
2114.25:167:28
2214.25:157:29
2314.35:157:30
2414.35:147:31
2514.35:137:31
2614.35:137:32
2714.45:127:33
2814.45:117:34
2914.45:117:35
3014.45:107:35
3114.45:107:36

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.8 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.34 kWh/m² to a high of 5.8 kWh/m² in May across the year — May's 5.8 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.6Bright
25.6Bright
35.6Bright
45.6Bright
55.6Bright
65.6Bright
75.6Bright
85.6Bright
95.6Bright
105.7Bright
115.7Bright
125.7Bright
135.7Bright
145.7Bright
155.7Bright
165.8Bright
175.8Bright
185.8Bright
195.8Bright
205.9Bright
215.9Bright
225.9Bright
236.0Bright
246.0Bright
256.0Bright
266.0Intense
276.0Intense
286.0Intense
296.0Intense
306.0Intense
316.0Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Sokcho

In seasonPeak

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

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

Sokcho'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 May a good time to visit Sokcho?

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

6.2
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
2.3
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Sokcho for sightseeing.

What to pack for Sokcho in May

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

In May, Sokcho sees daytime highs around 18°C and nights near 12°C. Worth packing: sun protection. About 8 days see rain.

sun protection

Sea temperature near Sokcho 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 offshore is warmest in August at about 24°C and coldest in February near 8°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 1 to Oct 5 — about 3.2 months when the water holds above 20°C.

5°10°15°20°25°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan10Bracing
Feb8Bracing
Mar9Bracing
Apr11Bracing
May14Bracing
Jun18Cool
Jul22Refreshing
Aug24Warm
Sep22Refreshing
Oct19Cool
Nov15Cool
Dec12Bracing

UV index in Sokcho in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 6 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Sokcho peaks around August 17 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. 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 9 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highModerateLowAug 17UV 9Dec 20UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May6High
Jun7Very high
Jul7Very high
Aug9Very high
Sep8Very high
Oct5Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Sokcho in May

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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

Air quality in Sokcho is worst in March — around 46 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 2.4× the cleanest month (September, 19 µg/m³).

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecPoorModerateMar 2046 µg/m³Sep 1120 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan35Poor
Feb38Poor
Mar46Poor
Apr43Poor
May36Poor
Jun29Moderate
Jul23Moderate
Aug21Moderate
Sep19Moderate
Oct26Moderate
Nov31Moderate
Dec30Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Sokcho?

Sokcho sits at 38.2°N, 128.6°E, 20 m above sea level, in South Korea. The nearest listed city is Kosong, 22 km away.

JumunjinYangguGangneungHwacheonChuncheonHongch’ŏnDonghae City

Topography around Sokcho

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Sokcho has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 132 m around an average of 11 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,694 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,646 m.

The land around Sokcho is covered by water (47%) and artificial surfaces (25%) within 3 km, water (50%) and trees (37%) within 16 km, and trees (62%) and water (32%) within 80 km.

3 km
132 m
16 km
1,694 m
80 km
1,646 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Kosong 22 km · Jumunjin 41 km · Yanggu 54 km · Gangneung 56 km · Hwacheon 78 km · Chuncheon 84 km · Hongch’ŏn 84 km · Donghae City 86 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 Sokcho (38.207°, 128.5918°, elevation 20 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).