1. For deciding how many layers to bring

    1. Check the normal temperatures for your month

    평년 기온

    For the Seoul station, KMA's 1991–2020 monthly normals give November an average daily high of 11.9°C and low of 3.5°C. December falls to 4.2°C and −3.4°C. January is the coldest month, at 2.1°C and −5.5°C, with a mean of −1.9°C. Source: Korea Meteorological Administration: climate normals 1991–2020, Seoul station

    A hooded padded coat, knit hat, patterned gloves, plaid scarf, folded thermal top and lined boots laid out on a wooden floor.

    Pack by the lows. November suits a mid-weight jacket over layers you can take off. From December, bring a warm coat, hat, gloves and scarf, and add a thermal base layer for January.

    November is the in-between month: its normal daily high of 11.9°C sits between October's 20.2°C and December's 4.2°C, and its normal high and low are 8.4°C apart.

    If your dates span two months, pack for the colder one and keep the lighter layers for the milder days.

    Plan five days by area, one part of the city at a time.

    Source: Korea Meteorological Administration: Seoul regional climate.

  2. For choosing shoes and timing outdoor walks

    2. Check the first-ice and first-snow dates

    첫얼음 · 첫눈

    KMA's seasonal observation normals for Seoul put the first ice on 3 November and the first snow on 20 November. Winter precipitation is light: December to February together average 67.6 mm of precipitation, about 5% of the year's total, and January is the driest month, at 16.8 mm. Source: Korea Meteorological Administration: Seoul regional climate

    Thin cracked ice on a square stone-edged palace pond, with fallen leaves frozen in it, frosted reeds and a light dusting of snow before a hanok pavilion.

    From mid-November, pack shoes with grippy soles that keep water out, especially for park, palace and riverside walks early in the day.

    Rain gear matters most in November, which averages 51.1 mm against 22.6 mm in December. KMA's October outlook also gives this November a 50% chance of more precipitation than normal.

    Lined, waterproof shoes cover both a wet November day and a snowy one later in the trip.

    Source: Korea Meteorological Administration: climate normals 1991–2020, Seoul station.

    Source: Korea Meteorological Administration: three-month outlook, November 2026 to January 2027.

  3. For deciding how late to stay outdoors

    3. Check sunset before planning outdoor stops

    일몰 시각

    KASI's monthly sun tables for Seoul give sunset at 17:34 on 1 November 2026 and 17:14 on 30 November. The earliest sunset is 17:13, on 6 and 7 December, and by 31 January 2027 it is back to 17:54. Sunrise is latest, at 7:47, from 31 December to 12 January. Source: Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute: monthly sunrise and sunset, Seoul

    A lamp-lit riverside path at winter dusk, with bare trees and dry reeds along the bank and a lit bridge and apartment towers across the river.

    Put parks, palace grounds and river walks in the late morning or early afternoon, and keep museums, markets and long meals for after dark.

    Evenings lengthen again after the first week of December, but mornings stay dark: sunrise is still at 7:44 or later through 21 January.

    December sunsets fall between 17:13 and 17:23, so for a riverside sunset that month, be at the water by 17:13.

    Pick a Han River park for a walk before dark.

  4. For adjusting the normals to this winter

    4. Check KMA's latest outlook, then the forecast

    3개월 전망

    KMA's three-month outlook, issued on 23 October 2026, gives the Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi region a 60% chance of a warmer-than-normal November and a 50% chance of a warmer-than-normal December. For January it gives 40% each to near-normal and above-normal temperatures, and its January note expects cold air to flow in at times and drop temperatures sharply. Source: Korea Meteorological Administration: three-month outlook, November 2026 to January 2027

    A snow-covered path with footprints between red pines, a wooden fence along its edge and hanok roofs in the valley below under an overcast sky.

    A month that runs warm on average can still bring very cold days, so pack for the normal lows even when the outlook leans warm.

    An outlook gives probabilities for a whole month, not the weather on your dates. KMA publishes the next three-month outlook on 23 November and a one-month outlook every Thursday.

    Check the KMA forecast for Seoul the day before an outdoor plan and keep an indoor alternative ready.

    Keep a large indoor plan for a cold or snowy day.

Questions before visiting

Will it snow in Seoul in December?

Seoul's normal first-snow date is 20 November, so snow is possible by December, but winter precipitation is light: December averages 22.6 mm. Check the KMA forecast for your dates rather than counting on snow.

What is the coldest month in Seoul?

January. KMA's 1991–2020 normals give it a mean of −1.9°C, with an average daily low of −5.5°C.

How early does it get dark?

Sunset is earliest at 17:13 on 6 and 7 December 2026 and stays before 17:30 from 6 November to 7 January.

Before you go

Pack for the coldest day of your dates rather than the monthly average, and wear the heaviest layer on the flight so the bag stays light.

Sources & checks

Sources checked .