Honchō weather in December

In December, Honchō sees average daytime highs of 2°C and overnight lows near -3°C, with 68 mm of precipitation across 9.6 wet days and about 9 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 4°C in the first days to 0°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 16% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 12 min at the start of December to 9 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Honchō's 7th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Honchō's year-round climate.

Daytime high
10th warmest
Overnight low
-3°
4th coldest
Precipitation
68 mm
9.6 wet days
Daylight
9 hours
7:04 AM – 4:02 PM
Cloud cover
67%
7th clearest
Wind
14 km/h
1st windiest
Solar energy
1.78 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Honchō is town in Kameda district, Hokkaidō, Japan.

Density
132/km²
people per km²
Founded
1957

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

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 4°C in the first days to 0°C by the end.

A typical December day in Honchō reaches about 2°C in the afternoon and slips back to -3°C overnight — a 4°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between -2°C and 6°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 6°C cooler than November and about 3°C warmer than January.

-10°-5°10°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
140
240
340
44-1
54-1
63-1
73-1
83-1
93-2
103-2
112-2
122-2
132-2
142-2
152-3
162-3
172-3
182-3
191-3
201-3
211-3
221-3
231-3
241-3
251-4
261-4
271-4
281-4
290-4
300-4
310-4

How December really feels in Honchō

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

Honchō weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan-1° / -5°527.89.19.30.0
Feb-0° / -6°497.17.210.30.0
Mar / -3°6410.17.711.70.0
Apr / 739.82.313.11.9
May14° / 9211.10.114.34.0
Jun18° / 12°869.70155.5
Jul21° / 16°12811.6014.76.0
Aug23° / 19°16712.7013.76.2
Sep21° / 16°17013.4012.35.8
Oct15° / 10411.90.110.94.4
Nov / 8211.62.69.61.3
Dec / -3°689.69.190.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 16% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 22% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 62%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13565
23565
33565
43565
53565
63565
73664
83763
93862
103862
113961
123961
133961
143961
154159
164159
174159
184060
194060
204060
214060
224060
233862
243862
253862
263862
273763
283763
293664
303664
313664

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Honchō gets around 68 mm of rain and snow over 9.6 wet days in December. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 31% and peaks near 35% on the wettest days, and about 9 days bring snow. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
13522
23523
33524
43425
53426
63426
73327
83328
93228
103229
113229
123130
133130
143130
153030
163030
173030
183030
193030
203030
213031
223031
233031
243031
253030
262930
272930
282930
292830
302830
312730

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, December 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 December

Winds average 14 km/h in December, the windiest month of the year.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 14 km/h on the calmest days to 14 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
114light breeze
214light breeze
314light breeze
414light breeze
514light breeze
614light breeze
714light breeze
814light breeze
914light breeze
1014light breeze
1114light breeze
1214light breeze
1314light breeze
1414light breeze
1514light breeze
1614light breeze
1714light breeze
1814light breeze
1914light breeze
2014light breeze
2114light breeze
2214light breeze
2314light breeze
2414light breeze
2514light breeze
2614light breeze
2714light breeze
2814light breeze
2914light breeze
3014light breeze
3114light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

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

Days shrink by about 12 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 6:52 AM to 7:11 AM, and sunset from 4:02 PM to 4:10 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.26:524:02
29.26:534:02
39.16:544:02
49.16:554:02
59.16:564:02
69.16:564:01
79.16:574:01
89.16:584:01
99.06:594:01
109.07:004:01
119.07:014:01
129.07:024:02
139.07:024:02
149.07:034:02
159.07:044:02
169.07:044:02
179.07:054:03
189.07:064:03
199.07:064:03
209.07:074:04
218.97:074:04
228.97:084:05
238.97:084:05
249.07:094:06
259.07:094:06
269.07:094:07
279.07:104:07
289.07:104:08
299.07:104:09
309.07:104:09
319.07:114:10

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.78 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.78 kWh/m² to a high of 5.43 kWh/m² in May across the year — December's 1.78 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.522.5151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.8Dim
21.8Dim
31.8Dim
41.8Dim
51.8Dim
61.8Dim
71.8Dim
81.8Dim
91.8Dim
101.8Dim
111.8Dim
121.8Dim
131.8Dim
141.8Dim
151.8Dim
161.8Dim
171.8Dim
181.8Dim
191.8Dim
201.8Dim
211.8Dim
221.8Dim
231.8Dim
241.9Dim
251.9Dim
261.9Dim
271.9Dim
281.9Dim
291.9Dim
301.9Dim
312.0Dim
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Honchō

In seasonPeak

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

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

Honchō's rainy season runs May–November, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is December a good time to visit Honchō?

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

0.0
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
7th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Honchō.

What to pack for Honchō in December

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

In December, Honchō sees daytime highs around 2°C and nights near -3°C. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 10 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

Sea temperature near Honchō in December

The nearest coast averages about 9°C in December — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 26 km away) is warmest in August at about 21°C and coldest in February near 4°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Aug 7 to Sep 16 — about 1.3 months when the water holds above 20°C.

0°10°20°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarm
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan7Bracing
Feb4Bracing
Mar4Bracing
Apr6Bracing
May9Bracing
Jun14Bracing
Jul18Cool
Aug21Refreshing
Sep20Refreshing
Oct17Cool
Nov12Bracing
Dec9Bracing

UV index in Honchō in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 1. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Honchō peaks around August 18 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 1 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 7 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighVery highHighModerateLowAug 18UV 8Dec 22UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar3Moderate
Apr5High
May8Very high
Jun7High
Jul5Moderate
Aug9Very high
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low

Air quality in Honchō in December

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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

Air quality in Honchō is worst in April — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.6× the cleanest month (December, 6 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodApr 1216 µg/m³Dec 177 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb11Good
Mar16Moderate
Apr17Moderate
May14Moderate
Jun9Good
Jul8Good
Aug8Good
Sep8Good
Oct9Good
Nov8Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Honchō?

Honchō sits at 41.9°N, 140.7°E, 72 m above sea level, in Japan. The nearest listed city is Kamiiso, 9.0 km away.

Topography around Honchō

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Honchō has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 527 m around an average of 110 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,164 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,258 m.

The land around Honchō is covered by trees (39%) and cropland (35%) within 3 km, trees (68%) within 16 km, and water (62%) and trees (35%) within 80 km.

3 km
527 m
16 km
1,164 m
80 km
1,258 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: Kamiiso 9.0 km · Hokuto 10 km · Hakodate 14 km · Muroran 53 km · Yakumo 53 km · Date 65 km · Noboribetsu 74 km · Mutsu 80 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 Honchō (41.8944°, 140.6939°, elevation 72 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).