Jōetsu in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Jōetsu sees average daytime highs around 7°C and overnight lows near 2°C, with 678 mm of precipitation over about 71 wet days across the season. It is the coldest season of the year and the wettest season of the year.
Over the season highs ease from about 11°C in early December to 7°C by late February. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 8% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels dry.
Winter is Jōetsu's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Jōetsu's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 7°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 2°C
- Precipitation
- 678 mm
- 71 wet days
- Avg wind
- 15 km/h
- Travel score
- 0.5
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Jōetsu in Winter
Over the season highs ease from about 11°C in early December to 7°C by late February.
A typical winter day in Jōetsu reaches about 7°C and drops to 2°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest February.
How winter really feels in Jōetsu
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 0 days that feel above 32°C and 75 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in winter is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.
Jōetsu weather by month
How the three winter months (December, January and February) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Snow days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6° / 1° | 253 | 25.9 | 16.3 | 9.7 | 0.2 |
| Feb | 6° / 1° | 178 | 21.2 | 13.3 | 10.6 | 0.3 |
| Mar | 10° / 3° | 145 | 19.6 | 6.5 | 11.7 | 1.6 |
| Apr | 15° / 8° | 97 | 13.4 | 0.4 | 12.9 | 4.3 |
| May | 20° / 13° | 92 | 11.6 | 0 | 14 | 6.1 |
| Jun | 24° / 18° | 115 | 11.5 | 0 | 14.5 | 6.4 |
| Jul | 28° / 22° | 191 | 14.4 | 0 | 14.3 | 5.3 |
| Aug | 30° / 24° | 122 | 12.1 | 0 | 13.4 | 4.9 |
| Sep | 26° / 20° | 162 | 14.1 | 0 | 12.3 | 5.8 |
| Oct | 20° / 14° | 164 | 15.1 | 0 | 11 | 5.6 |
| Nov | 14° / 8° | 180 | 18.5 | 0.3 | 10 | 3.4 |
| Dec | 9° / 4° | 247 | 24.2 | 8.4 | 9.5 | 1.1 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 8% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Jōetsu gets around 678 mm of rain and snow over 71 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 15 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 9 h 36 min in early December to 11 h 06 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Winter
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across winter, about 2.5 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Jōetsu
In winter, Jōetsu overlaps its pacific typhoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Jōetsu sits in the Pacific typhoon belt; the season peaks July–October.
Is winter a good time to visit Jōetsu?
Our two travel scores rate winter for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
winter is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Jōetsu.
What to pack for Jōetsu in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Jōetsu sees daytime highs around 7°C and nights near 2°C. Pack a warm layer and rain gear. Worth having: a heavy coat. About 71 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Jōetsu in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 13°C across winter — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea offshore is warmest in August at about 27°C and coldest in March near 10°C.
It's comfortable for a long swim from Jun 20 to Nov 1 — about 4.4 months when the water holds above 20°C.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 13 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 15 | 20 | 23 | 27 | 25 | 22 | 19 | 15 |
| Comfort | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Cool | Refreshing | Warm | Warm | Refreshing | Cool | Cool |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 13 | Bracing |
| Feb | 11 | Bracing |
| Mar | 10 | Bracing |
| Apr | 11 | Bracing |
| May | 15 | Bracing |
| Jun | 20 | Cool |
| Jul | 23 | Refreshing |
| Aug | 27 | Warm |
| Sep | 25 | Warm |
| Oct | 22 | Refreshing |
| Nov | 19 | Cool |
| Dec | 15 | Cool |
UV index in Jōetsu in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 3. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Jōetsu peaks around August 12 at about 10 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 1 at about 2 (moderate).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 9 months of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 2 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | High | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | High | Moderate | Moderate |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2 | Moderate |
| Feb | 4 | Moderate |
| Mar | 4 | Moderate |
| Apr | 7 | High |
| May | 8 | Very high |
| Jun | 9 | Very high |
| Jul | 9 | Very high |
| Aug | 10 | Very high |
| Sep | 9 | Very high |
| Oct | 5 | High |
| Nov | 3 | Moderate |
| Dec | 2 | Moderate |
Air quality in Jōetsu in Winter
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where winter falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Jōetsu is worst in April — around 22 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.3× the cleanest month (December, 9 µg/m³).
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 11 | 14 | 20 | 22 | 20 | 17 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 |
| Level | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 11 | Good |
| Feb | 14 | Moderate |
| Mar | 20 | Moderate |
| Apr | 22 | Moderate |
| May | 20 | Moderate |
| Jun | 17 | Moderate |
| Jul | 15 | Moderate |
| Aug | 12 | Good |
| Sep | 10 | Good |
| Oct | 10 | Good |
| Nov | 10 | Good |
| Dec | 9 | Good |
Where is Jōetsu?
Jōetsu sits at 37.1°N, 138.2°E, 10 m above sea level, in Japan. The nearest listed city is Myoko, 14 km away.
Topography around Jōetsu
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Jōetsu.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Jōetsu has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 177 m around an average of 22 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,200 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,900 m.
The land around Jōetsu is covered by artificial surfaces (46%), trees (24%) and cropland (20%) within 3 km, trees (39%) and water (32%) within 16 km, and trees (53%) and water (37%) within 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
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 Jōetsu (37.1483°, 138.2364°, elevation 10 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.