Hirakawa weather in May

In May, Hirakawa sees average daytime highs of 18°C and overnight lows near 9°C, with 104 mm of precipitation across 13.1 wet days and about 14.2 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 16°C in the first days to 20°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 27% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 42 min at the start of May to 14 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Hirakawa's 3rd-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Hirakawa's year-round climate.

Daytime high
18°
5th warmest
Overnight low
8th coldest
Precipitation
104 mm
13.1 wet days
Daylight
14 h 18 min
4:26 AM – 6:41 PM
Cloud cover
65%
3rd clearest
Wind
9 km/h
7th windiest
Solar energy
5.42 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.2
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 May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 16°C in the first days to 20°C by the end.

A typical May day in Hirakawa reaches about 18°C in the afternoon and slips back to 9°C overnight — a 9°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 13°C and 22°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 6°C warmer than April and about 4°C cooler than June.

10°15°20°25°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
1166
2166
3167
4167
5167
6167
7177
8177
9178
10178
11178
12178
13178
14178
15179
16189
17189
18189
19189
20189
211810
221910
231910
241910
251910
261910
271910
281911
292011
302011
312011

How May really feels in Hirakawa

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.

Hirakawa weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 8th-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 May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 27% 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 60%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14456
24357
34357
44357
54159
64159
74060
84060
94060
104060
114060
124060
134060
143862
153862
163961
173862
183862
193961
203961
213961
224060
233961
243961
253961
263961
274060
284060
293961
303961
313961

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitationSnow

Hirakawa gets around 104 mm of rain and snow over 13.1 wet days in May. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 42% and peaks near 45% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1443
2442
3442
4442
5441
6441
7451
8451
9451
10450
11450
12450
13450
14450
15440
16440
17430
18430
19420
20420
21410
22410
23400
24400
25390
26390
27390
28390
29380
30380
31380

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 93% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
19910
29910
39910
49910
59910
69910
79910
89820
99820
109820
119730
129730
139730
149640
159640
169550
179550
189460
199370
209280
219280
229190
2390100
2489110
2588120
2686131
2784151
2883161
2982171
3080191
3178211

Wind in May

Winds average 9 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 8 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
109calm
119calm
129calm
139calm
149calm
159calm
169calm
179calm
189calm
199calm
209calm
219calm
228calm
238calm
248calm
258calm
268calm
278calm
288calm
298calm
308calm
318calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 42 min at the start of May to 14 h 42 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 60 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 4:44 AM to 4:15 AM, and sunset from 6:26 PM to 6:55 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.74:446:26
213.74:426:27
313.84:416:28
413.84:406:29
513.94:396:30
613.94:376:31
713.94:366:32
814.04:356:33
914.04:346:34
1014.04:336:35
1114.14:326:36
1214.14:306:38
1314.24:296:39
1414.24:286:40
1514.24:276:40
1614.34:266:41
1714.34:256:42
1814.34:256:43
1914.34:246:44
2014.44:236:45
2114.44:226:46
2214.44:216:47
2314.54:206:48
2414.54:206:49
2514.54:196:50
2614.54:186:51
2714.64:186:52
2814.64:176:52
2914.64:166:53
3014.64:166:54
3114.74:156:55

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.42 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

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 — May's 5.42 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.3Bright
25.3Bright
35.3Bright
45.3Bright
55.3Bright
65.3Bright
75.3Bright
85.3Bright
95.3Bright
105.3Bright
115.3Bright
125.3Bright
135.3Bright
145.3Bright
155.3Bright
165.3Bright
175.4Bright
185.4Bright
195.4Bright
205.4Bright
215.5Bright
225.5Bright
235.5Bright
245.5Bright
255.6Bright
265.6Bright
275.6Bright
285.7Bright
295.7Bright
305.7Bright
315.7Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Hirakawa

In seasonPeak

In May, 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 May a good time to visit Hirakawa?

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

5.2
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
1.6
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Hirakawa for sightseeing.

What to pack for Hirakawa in May

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

In May, Hirakawa sees daytime highs around 18°C and nights near 9°C. Worth packing: rain gear and sun protection. About 13 days see rain.

rain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Hirakawa in May

The nearest coast averages about 11°C in May — 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 May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 8 — enough to warrant sun protection. 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 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 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
May 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).