Akita weather in January

In January, Akita sees average daytime highs of 3°C and overnight lows near -0°C, with 164 mm of precipitation across 25.5 wet days and about 9.5 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 3°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 4% of the time in January, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 12 min at the start of January to 9 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Akita's 12th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Akita's year-round climate.

Daytime high
12th warmest
Overnight low
-0°
2nd coldest
Precipitation
164 mm
25.5 wet days
Daylight
9 h 30 min
7:04 AM – 4:33 PM
Cloud cover
74%
12th clearest
Wind
24 km/h
1st windiest
Solar energy
1.96 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Temperature in January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 3°C through the month.

A typical January day in Akita reaches about 3°C in the afternoon and slips back to -0°C overnight — a 3°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between -0°C and 6°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 3°C cooler than December and on par with February.

-5°10°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
141
241
341
440
530
630
730
830
930
1030
1130
1230
1330
1430
1530
1630
1730
1830
1930
203-1
213-1
223-1
233-1
243-1
253-1
263-1
273-1
283-1
293-1
303-1
313-1

How January really feels in Akita

Once humidity and wind are folded in, January 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 January is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.

Akita weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 12th-warmest and 7th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / -0°16425.520.79.50.0
Feb / -0°1202116.310.40.0
Mar / 119188.611.70.4
Apr10° / 111141132.3
May15° / 12°13013.4014.24.4
Jun20° / 17°13611.8014.85.9
Jul24° / 21°22315.7014.55.8
Aug26° / 23°20314.8013.65.9
Sep23° / 19°19015012.35.8
Oct17° / 13°17915.6010.94.8
Nov11° / 18320.11.79.82.2
Dec / 19924.712.59.20.3

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 4% of the time in January, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 22% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 74%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12674
22674
32674
42674
52674
62575
72575
82575
92575
102575
112674
122674
132674
142773
152773
162773
172773
182773
192773
202773
212773
222773
232773
242773
252674
262674
272674
282674
292674
302674
312674

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitationSnow

Akita gets around 164 mm of rain and snow over 25.5 wet days in January. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 82% and peaks near 84% on the wettest days, and about 21 days bring snow.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
18457
28459
38460
48461
58462
68363
78364
88264
98265
108266
118166
128167
138167
148168
158168
168168
178168
188169
198169
208169
218269
228269
238269
248270
258370
268370
278370
288370
298370
308370
318370

Humidity in January

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of January feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, January 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 January

Winds average 24 km/h in January, the windiest month of the year.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 24 km/h on the calmest days to 26 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0102030151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
126breezy
226breezy
326breezy
425breezy
525breezy
625breezy
725breezy
825breezy
925breezy
1025breezy
1125breezy
1224breezy
1324breezy
1424breezy
1524breezy
1624breezy
1724breezy
1824breezy
1924breezy
2024breezy
2124breezy
2224breezy
2324breezy
2424breezy
2524breezy
2624breezy
2724breezy
2824breezy
2924breezy
3024breezy
3124breezy

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 12 min at the start of January to 9 h 54 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 42 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 7:06 AM to 6:56 AM, and sunset from 4:20 PM to 4:50 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.27:064:20
29.27:064:20
39.37:064:21
49.37:064:22
59.37:064:23
69.37:064:24
79.37:064:25
89.37:064:25
99.37:064:26
109.47:064:27
119.47:064:28
129.47:054:29
139.47:054:30
149.47:054:31
159.57:054:32
169.57:044:33
179.57:044:34
189.57:044:35
199.67:034:36
209.67:034:37
219.67:024:39
229.67:024:40
239.77:014:41
249.77:014:42
259.77:004:43
269.77:004:44
279.86:594:45
289.86:584:46
299.86:574:48
309.96:574:49
319.96:564:50

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 1.96 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.58 kWh/m² to a high of 5.74 kWh/m² in June across the year — January's 1.96 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.7Dim
21.7Dim
31.8Dim
41.8Dim
51.8Dim
61.8Dim
71.8Dim
81.8Dim
91.8Dim
101.8Dim
111.8Dim
121.9Dim
131.9Dim
141.9Dim
151.9Dim
161.9Dim
171.9Dim
182.0Dim
192.0Dim
202.0Moderate
212.0Moderate
222.0Moderate
232.1Moderate
242.1Moderate
252.1Moderate
262.1Moderate
272.2Moderate
282.2Moderate
292.2Moderate
302.3Moderate
312.3Moderate
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Akita

In seasonPeak

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

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

Pacific typhoon
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is January a good time to visit Akita?

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

0.0
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

January is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Akita.

What to pack for Akita in January

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

In January, Akita sees daytime highs around 3°C and nights near -0°C. Pack a warm layer, a heavy coat and rain gear. Worth having: a windbreaker. About 26 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain geara windbreaker

Sea temperature near Akita in January

The nearest coast averages about 11°C in January — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 23 km away) is warmest in August at about 26°C and coldest in March near 9°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jun 28 to Oct 23 — about 3.9 months when the water holds above 20°C.

10°20°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan11Bracing
Feb9Bracing
Mar9Bracing
Apr10Bracing
May14Bracing
Jun19Cool
Jul22Refreshing
Aug26Warm
Sep24Warm
Oct21Refreshing
Nov17Cool
Dec14Bracing

UV index in Akita in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 2. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Akita peaks around August 18 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 1 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighVery highHighModerateLowAug 18UV 8Jan 1UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar3Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun7Very high
Jul5High
Aug9Very high
Sep7High
Oct5Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Akita in January

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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

Air quality in Akita is worst in April — around 21 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.3× the cleanest month (December, 9 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodApr 1721 µg/m³Dec 149 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb14Moderate
Mar19Moderate
Apr21Moderate
May20Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul13Moderate
Aug11Good
Sep10Good
Oct10Good
Nov10Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Akita?

Akita sits at 39.7°N, 140.1°E, 14 m above sea level, in Japan. The nearest listed city is Katagami, 21 km away.

Topography around Akita

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Akita has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 92 m around an average of 11 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 958 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,211 m.

The land around Akita is covered by artificial surfaces (82%) within 3 km, trees (50%) and water (29%) within 16 km, and trees (55%) and water (35%) within 80 km.

3 km
92 m
16 km
958 m
80 km
2,211 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
January weather nearby: Katagami 21 km · Tennō 24 km · Oga 29 km · Yurihonjō 37 km · Moritake 42 km · Ōmagari 43 km · Daisen 44 km · Rokugō 50 km

Japan travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type A / B
100 V · 50 / 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 65% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$35,951
2025
Happiness
6.1 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
99%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
0.2
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
3.6
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
English
Very low
EF EPI 446
Religion
Shintoism 49%Buddhism 46%other 4%Christianity 1%

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 Akita (39.7167°, 140.1167°, elevation 14 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).