Hirakawa weather in January

In January, Hirakawa sees average daytime highs of -0°C and overnight lows near -6°C, with 82 mm of precipitation across 16.9 wet days and about 9.4 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 11th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near -0°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 06 min at the start of January to 9 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Hirakawa's 10th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Hirakawa's year-round climate.

Daytime high
-0°
12th warmest
Overnight low
-6°
1st coldest
Precipitation
82 mm
16.9 wet days
Daylight
9 h 24 min
7:05 AM – 4:29 PM
Cloud cover
74%
10th clearest
Wind
10 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
2.12 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Hirakawa is city in Aomori Prefecture, Japan.

Density
89/km²
people per km²
Founded
2006

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

Temperature in January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near -0°C through the month.

A typical January day in Hirakawa reaches about -0°C in the afternoon and slips back to -6°C overnight — a 6°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between -4°C and 3°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 3°C cooler than December and about 1°C cooler than February.

-15°-10°-5°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
10-5
20-5
30-5
40-5
50-6
60-6
70-6
80-6
90-6
100-6
110-6
120-6
130-6
140-6
150-6
160-6
170-6
180-6
190-6
200-6
210-6
220-6
230-6
240-6
250-6
260-6
270-6
280-6
290-6
300-6
310-6

How January really feels in Hirakawa

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
28 feel bitter (≤ -10°C)

The story in January is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.

Hirakawa weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 12th-warmest and 11th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan-0° / -6°8216.921.69.40.0
Feb / -6°8015.517.910.40.0
Mar / -3°10116.813.811.70.2
Apr12° / 9813.73.4132.8
May18° / 10413.10.114.25.2
Jun22° / 14°10913.1014.85.8
Jul25° / 18°16316.4014.65.6
Aug26° / 19°17716.1013.65.6
Sep22° / 14°15414.2012.35.8
Oct16° / 12913.80.110.94.5
Nov / 11216.369.71.5
Dec / -4°1061818.29.20.0

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 4% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 18% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 78%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12674
22575
32476
42476
52476
62476
72377
82377
92377
102278
112377
122278
132179
142179
152080
162080
171981
182080
192080
202080
212080
222080
232080
242080
252080
262179
272179
282179
292278
302278
312278

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitationSnow

Hirakawa gets around 82 mm of rain and snow over 16.9 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 55% and peaks near 58% on the wettest days, and about 22 days bring snow.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
15869
25869
35869
45769
55769
65669
75669
85569
95569
105469
115469
125369
135369
145369
155269
165269
175269
185269
195269
205269
215370
225370
235470
245470
255570
265570
275570
285570
295670
305670
315670

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 10 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 10 km/h on the calmest days to 10 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
110calm
210calm
310calm
410calm
510calm
610calm
710calm
810calm
910calm
1010calm
1110calm
1210calm
1310calm
1410calm
1510calm
1610calm
1710calm
1810calm
1910calm
2010calm
2110calm
2210calm
2310calm
2410calm
2510calm
2610calm
2710calm
2810calm
2910calm
3010calm
3110calm

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 06 min at the start of January to 9 h 48 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 7:07 AM to 6:56 AM, and sunset from 4:15 PM to 4:46 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.17:074:15
29.27:074:16
39.27:074:17
49.27:074:18
59.27:074:18
69.27:074:19
79.27:074:20
89.27:074:21
99.37:074:22
109.37:074:23
119.37:064:24
129.37:064:25
139.37:064:26
149.47:064:27
159.47:054:28
169.47:054:29
179.47:054:30
189.47:044:31
199.57:044:32
209.57:034:33
219.57:034:34
229.67:024:36
239.67:024:37
249.67:014:38
259.67:014:39
269.77:004:40
279.76:594:41
289.76:584:42
299.86:584:44
309.86:574:45
319.86:564:46

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 2.12 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.7 kWh/m² to a high of 5.42 kWh/m² in May across the year — January's 2.12 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.9Dim
21.9Dim
31.9Dim
41.9Dim
51.9Dim
61.9Dim
71.9Dim
81.9Dim
92.0Dim
102.0Dim
112.0Dim
122.0Moderate
132.0Moderate
142.0Moderate
152.1Moderate
162.1Moderate
172.1Moderate
182.1Moderate
192.1Moderate
202.2Moderate
212.2Moderate
222.2Moderate
232.3Moderate
242.3Moderate
252.3Moderate
262.3Moderate
272.4Moderate
282.4Moderate
292.4Moderate
302.5Moderate
312.5Moderate
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Hirakawa

In seasonPeak

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

Hirakawa 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 Hirakawa?

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

0.0
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

January is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Hirakawa.

What to pack for Hirakawa in January

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

In January, Hirakawa sees daytime highs around -0°C and nights near -6°C. Pack a warm layer, a heavy coat and rain gear. About 17 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

Sea temperature near Hirakawa in January

The nearest coast averages about 10°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 41 km away) is warmest in August at about 23°C and coldest in March near 8°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 24 to Oct 7 — about 2.5 months when the water holds above 20°C.

5°10°15°20°25°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan10Bracing
Feb8Bracing
Mar8Bracing
Apr8Bracing
May11Bracing
Jun15Cool
Jul19Cool
Aug23Refreshing
Sep22Refreshing
Oct19Cool
Nov15Cool
Dec12Bracing

UV index in Hirakawa 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 Hirakawa peaks around August 19 at about 8 (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 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighVery highHighModerateLowAug 19UV 8Dec 22UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar3Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul5Moderate
Aug9Very high
Sep7High
Oct4Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Hirakawa 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 Hirakawa is worst in April — around 20 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.4× the cleanest month (December, 8 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodApr 1620 µg/m³Dec 169 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb13Moderate
Mar18Moderate
Apr20Moderate
May18Moderate
Jun13Moderate
Jul12Good
Aug10Good
Sep10Good
Oct10Good
Nov9Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Hirakawa?

Hirakawa sits at 40.6°N, 140.6°E, 46 m above sea level, in Japan. The nearest listed city is Kuroishi, 7.0 km away.

Topography around Hirakawa

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Hirakawa has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 131 m around an average of 49 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 976 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,616 m.

The land around Hirakawa is covered by cropland (54%) and trees (23%) within 3 km, trees (65%) and cropland (21%) within 16 km, and trees (59%) and water (31%) within 80 km.

3 km
131 m
16 km
976 m
80 km
1,616 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
January weather nearby: Kuroishi 7.0 km · Hirosaki 8.0 km · Namioka 14 km · Goshogawara 27 km · Tsugaru 28 km · Aomori 29 km · Shimokizukuri 30 km · Ōdate 35 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 Hirakawa (40.5873°, 140.5711°, elevation 46 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).