Kamaishi weather in January

In January, Kamaishi sees average daytime highs of 2°C and overnight lows near -4°C, with 57 mm of precipitation across 7.8 wet days and about 9.6 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 11th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 2°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 39% of the time in January, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 18 min at the start of January to 9 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Kamaishi's 2nd-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Kamaishi's year-round climate.

Daytime high
12th warmest
Overnight low
-4°
2nd coldest
Precipitation
57 mm
7.8 wet days
Daylight
9 h 30 min
6:56 AM – 4:27 PM
Cloud cover
52%
2nd clearest
Wind
15 km/h
1st windiest
Solar energy
2.57 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Kamaishi is city in Iwate Prefecture, Japan.

Density
98/km²
people per km²
Founded
1937

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 2°C through the month.

A typical January day in Kamaishi reaches about 2°C in the afternoon and slips back to -4°C overnight — a 6°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between -1°C and 6°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 3°C cooler than December and on par with February.

-10°-5°10°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13-2
23-2
33-2
43-2
53-3
63-3
73-3
83-3
93-3
103-3
112-3
122-3
132-3
142-3
152-3
162-4
172-4
182-4
192-4
202-4
212-4
222-4
232-4
242-4
252-4
262-4
272-4
282-4
292-4
302-4
312-4

How January really feels in Kamaishi

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.

Kamaishi 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 / -4°577.85.99.60.0
Feb / -4°537.76.310.50.0
Mar / -1°10211.46.311.70.6
Apr12° / 10811.71.6132.9
May16° / 10°12512.3014.14.7
Jun19° / 14°13813014.75.4
Jul23° / 18°17116.2014.55.6
Aug25° / 20°17815.3013.55.8
Sep22° / 16°19815012.35.6
Oct17° / 10°15911.10115.1
Nov11° / 809.30.69.82.8
Dec / -0°689.349.30.3

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 39% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 23% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 39%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16337
26337
36337
46238
56337
66337
76337
86238
96139
106139
116139
126040
136040
146040
156040
166040
176040
186040
196040
206139
216139
226139
236139
246139
256238
266238
276238
286238
296238
306238
316238

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitationSnow

Kamaishi gets around 57 mm of rain and snow over 7.8 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 25% and peaks near 26% on the wettest days, and about 6 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
12615
22615
32515
42515
52516
62516
72517
82518
92518
102619
112620
122620
132621
142621
152622
162622
172622
182622
192622
202622
212622
222621
232621
242621
252620
262520
272520
282520
292420
302420
312420

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 15 km/h in January, the windiest month of the year.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 14 km/h on the calmest days to 15 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
115light breeze
215light breeze
315light breeze
415light breeze
515light breeze
615light breeze
715light breeze
815light breeze
915light breeze
1015light breeze
1115light breeze
1215light breeze
1315light breeze
1415light breeze
1515light breeze
1615light breeze
1715light breeze
1815light breeze
1915light breeze
2015light breeze
2115light breeze
2215light breeze
2315light breeze
2415light breeze
2515light breeze
2615light breeze
2715light breeze
2815light breeze
2915light breeze
3015light breeze
3114light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 18 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 36 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 6:57 AM to 6:48 AM, and sunset from 4:14 PM to 4:44 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.36:574:14
29.36:574:15
39.36:584:16
49.36:584:16
59.36:584:17
69.36:584:18
79.46:584:19
89.46:584:20
99.46:584:21
109.46:584:22
119.46:574:23
129.46:574:23
139.56:574:24
149.56:574:25
159.56:574:26
169.56:564:27
179.56:564:28
189.66:554:29
199.66:554:31
209.66:554:32
219.66:544:33
229.76:544:34
239.76:534:35
249.76:534:36
259.86:524:37
269.86:514:38
279.86:514:39
289.86:504:40
299.96:494:42
309.96:494:43
319.96:484:44

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 2.57 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.12 kWh/m² to a high of 5.49 kWh/m² in May across the year — January's 2.57 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.3Moderate
22.4Moderate
32.4Moderate
42.4Moderate
52.4Moderate
62.4Moderate
72.4Moderate
82.4Moderate
92.4Moderate
102.4Moderate
112.4Moderate
122.4Moderate
132.5Moderate
142.5Moderate
152.5Moderate
162.5Moderate
172.5Moderate
182.5Moderate
192.6Moderate
202.6Moderate
212.6Moderate
222.6Moderate
232.7Moderate
242.7Moderate
252.7Moderate
262.8Moderate
272.8Moderate
282.8Moderate
292.9Moderate
302.9Moderate
312.9Moderate
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Kamaishi

In seasonPeak

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

Kamaishi 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 Kamaishi?

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 Kamaishi.

What to pack for Kamaishi in January

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

In January, Kamaishi sees daytime highs around 2°C and nights near -4°C. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. About 8 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coat

Sea temperature near Kamaishi 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 17 km away) is warmest in August at about 22°C and coldest in March near 7°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 26 to Oct 1 — about 2.2 months when the water holds above 20°C.

5°10°15°20°25°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan10Bracing
Feb8Bracing
Mar7Bracing
Apr9Bracing
May12Bracing
Jun16Cool
Jul19Cool
Aug22Refreshing
Sep21Refreshing
Oct19Cool
Nov16Cool
Dec13Bracing

UV index in Kamaishi 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 Kamaishi peaks around August 19 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 19UV 8Jan 1UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul6High
Aug9Very high
Sep7Very high
Oct5Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Kamaishi 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 Kamaishi is worst in April — around 19 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.2× the cleanest month (December, 9 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodApr 1319 µg/m³Dec 179 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb13Moderate
Mar18Moderate
Apr19Moderate
May17Moderate
Jun12Moderate
Jul11Good
Aug9Good
Sep10Good
Oct10Good
Nov10Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Kamaishi?

Kamaishi sits at 39.3°N, 141.9°E, 25 m above sea level, in Japan. The nearest listed city is Yamada, 22 km away.

Topography around Kamaishi

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Kamaishi has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 511 m around an average of 145 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,341 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,861 m.

The land around Kamaishi is covered by trees (81%) within 3 km, trees (63%) and water (33%) within 16 km, and trees (57%) and water (35%) within 80 km.

3 km
511 m
16 km
1,341 m
80 km
1,861 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
January weather nearby: Yamada 22 km · Ōfunato 26 km · Tōno 29 km · Rikuzen-Takata 34 km · Miyako 42 km · Kesennuma 49 km · Ōshū 62 km · Kitakami 65 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 Kamaishi (39.2769°, 141.868°, elevation 25 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).