January in Pyongyang — workable with trade-offs
Trade-offs · 6.2/10At -5°C (23°F) this is proper winter weather in January: layer up and split the day between outdoor highlights and indoor stops.
Only 15 mm of water-equivalent precipitation is expected (snow at altitude), leaving about 25 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 9.8 hours of daylight.
That is 6.2/10 on the same scale — 10th of 12 months, versus 8.6/10 for the best month here.
Budget for mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack insulated layers, a windproof shell, gloves and boots with grip.
If your dates are flexible, April is materially better in Pyongyang — 2.4 points higher on the same scale.
February in Pyongyang: mixed conditions, plan around the weather
Trade-offs · 6.9/10At -2°C (29°F) this is proper winter weather in February: layer up and split the day between outdoor highlights and indoor stops.
Only 13 mm of water-equivalent precipitation is expected (snow at altitude), leaving about 24 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 10.8 hours of daylight.
That is 6.9/10 on the same scale — 6th of 12 months, versus 8.6/10 for the best month here.
Expect mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack insulated layers, a windproof shell, gloves and boots with grip.
If your dates are flexible, April is materially better in Pyongyang — 1.7 points higher on the same scale.
March holds up well in Pyongyang — 3rd best month
Good · 7.9/10March averages 5°C (41°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.
Expect 41 mm of rain — occasional showers rather than washed-out days — alongside about 26 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 12 daylight hours.
It scores 7.9/10 here, 3rd of 12 months, against 8.6/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for mid-season pricing, with crowds are moderate.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in.
April: the best month of the year in Pyongyang
Best window · 8.6/10Expect 12°C (53°F) in April. A good month for city streets, viewpoints and long meals; leave swimming for another season.
Budget for roughly 65 mm of rain this month — a flexible day or two helps — with about 24 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 13.2 hours of daylight to work around it.
On our climate-comfort scale this is the top-ranked month of the year for Pyongyang at 8.6/10 — the reference point every other month on this page is measured against.
Expect peak pricing, and this is one of the busiest months here. You are paying the year's highest rates for the year's best conditions — book early or shift a few weeks either side.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a packable rain layer.
May in Pyongyang — reliably good (2nd best month)
Good · 8.2/10May averages 17°C (62°F), the range most people find easiest for walking a city all day without either overheating or losing daylight to weather.
Monthly rainfall reaches 103 mm — wet for this destination — but about 24 days with 6+ hours of sunshine still break through, so keep one indoor fallback in the plan.
It scores 8.2/10 here, 2nd of 12 months, against 8.6/10 in the destination's best month.
Figure on mid-season pricing, with crowds are moderate.
Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
June in Pyongyang — middling scores, decent value
Trade-offs · 6.7/10At 22°C (71°F) this is comfortable city weather in June, with sightseeing easiest before lunch and after the afternoon peak.
This is the year's wettest stretch at 203 mm, but with about 24 days with 6+ hours of sunshine it is not a total loss; an indoor fallback covers the risk.
That is 6.7/10 on the same scale — 8th of 12 months, versus 8.6/10 for the best month here.
Budget for mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack light clothing, a hat and real sun protection, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
If your dates are flexible, April is materially better in Pyongyang — 1.9 points higher on the same scale.
July in Pyongyang: expect compromises
Hardest · 4.8/10At 26°C (78°F) this is comfortable city weather in July, with sightseeing easiest before lunch and after the afternoon peak.
This is the year's wettest stretch at 222 mm, but with about 24 days with 6+ hours of sunshine it is not a total loss; an indoor fallback covers the risk.
That is 4.8/10 on the same scale — 11th of 12 months, versus 8.6/10 for the best month here.
Expect low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.
Pack light clothing, a hat and real sun protection, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
If your dates are flexible, April is materially better in Pyongyang — 3.8 points higher on the same scale.
August in Pyongyang: expect compromises
Hardest · 4.8/10August averages 25°C (77°F) — pleasant for mornings and evenings on foot in the city, with a midday break when the sun is strongest.
252 mm makes this the wettest stretch of the year, though about 23 days with 6+ hours of sunshine still appear — keep an indoor fallback ready.
It scores 4.8/10 here, 12th of 12 months, against 8.6/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for low-season pricing, with crowds are light for this destination.
Pack light clothing, a hat and real sun protection, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
Flexible dates? April scores 3.8 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
September in Pyongyang — reliably good (5th best month)
Good · 7.2/10September averages 21°C (70°F) — pleasant for mornings and evenings on foot in the city, with a midday break when the sun is strongest.
Monthly rainfall reaches 130 mm — wet for this destination — but about 24 days with 6+ hours of sunshine still break through, so keep one indoor fallback in the plan.
It scores 7.2/10 here, 5th of 12 months, against 8.6/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for mid-season pricing, with crowds are moderate.
Pack light clothing, a hat and real sun protection, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
October holds up well in Pyongyang — 4th best month
Good · 7.7/10Temperatures hover around 13°C (56°F) — the kind of month where neither heat nor cold forces the schedule.
Budget for roughly 86 mm of rain this month — a flexible day or two helps — with about 23 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 11.2 hours of daylight to work around it.
That is 7.7/10 on the same scale — 4th of 12 months, versus 8.6/10 for the best month here.
Expect mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a packable rain layer.
November in Pyongyang: mixed conditions, plan around the weather
Trade-offs · 6.9/10Expect 5°C (42°F) in November. A good month for city streets, viewpoints and long meals; leave swimming for another season.
Budget for roughly 65 mm of rain this month — a flexible day or two helps — with about 22 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 10.1 hours of daylight to work around it.
That is 6.9/10 on the same scale — 7th of 12 months, versus 8.6/10 for the best month here.
Expect mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a packable rain layer.
If your dates are flexible, April is materially better in Pyongyang — 1.7 points higher on the same scale.
December in Pyongyang — middling scores, decent value
Trade-offs · 6.5/10December averages -3°C (26°F), cold enough that sightseeing works in bursts rather than in one long day on foot.
Precipitation is light at 24 mm (mostly snow at altitude), with about 24 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 9.5 hours of daylight.
It scores 6.5/10 here, 9th of 12 months, against 8.6/10 in the destination's best month.
Figure on mid-season pricing, with crowds are moderate.
Pack insulated layers, a windproof shell, gloves and boots with grip.
Flexible dates? April scores 2.1 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
