Kesennuma weather in January

In January, Kesennuma sees average daytime highs of 4°C and overnight lows near -2°C, with 49 mm of precipitation across 7.2 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 4°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 36% 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 10 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Kesennuma's 2nd-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Kesennuma's year-round climate.

Daytime high
12th warmest
Overnight low
-2°
2nd coldest
Precipitation
49 mm
7.2 wet days
Daylight
9 h 36 min
6:56 AM – 4:30 PM
Cloud cover
53%
2nd clearest
Wind
15 km/h
1st windiest
Solar energy
2.54 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Kesennuma is city in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.

Density
184/km²
people per km²
Founded
1953

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 4°C through the month.

A typical January day in Kesennuma reaches about 4°C in the afternoon and slips back to -2°C overnight — a 6°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 0°C and 7°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)
14-1
24-1
34-1
44-1
54-1
64-2
74-2
84-2
94-2
104-2
114-2
124-2
134-2
143-2
153-2
163-2
173-2
183-2
193-2
203-2
213-3
223-3
233-3
243-3
253-3
263-3
273-3
283-3
293-3
303-3
313-3

How January really feels in Kesennuma

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.

Kesennuma 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 / -2°497.24.89.60.0
Feb / -2°457.44.910.50.0
Mar / 9210.84.411.71.2
Apr13° / 10011.21.1133.5
May18° / 11°11611.7014.15.3
Jun21° / 15°12612.1014.75.7
Jul24° / 19°16415.6014.45.7
Aug26° / 21°15414.2013.55.8
Sep23° / 17°17113.7012.35.9
Oct18° / 11°14010.40115.6
Nov12° / 708.60.39.93.3
Dec / 598.93.29.30.5

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 36% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 24% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 39%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16139
26139
36139
46238
56238
66139
76139
86139
96238
106139
116139
126139
136040
146040
156040
166040
176040
186040
196040
205941
215941
226040
236040
246040
256040
266040
276139
286139
296139
306139
316139

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitationSnow

Kesennuma gets around 49 mm of rain and snow over 7.2 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 24% and peaks near 24% on the wettest days, and about 5 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
12413
22413
32413
42413
52313
62314
72314
82314
92315
102415
112415
122416
132416
142416
152416
162416
172417
182417
192417
202417
212417
222417
232417
242417
252417
262417
272417
282417
292417
302317
312317

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
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 January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 18 min at the start of January to 10 hours by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 42 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 6:57 AM to 6:48 AM, and sunset from 4:16 PM to 4:46 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.36:574:16
29.36:584:17
39.36:584:18
49.36:584:19
59.46:584:19
69.46:584:20
79.46:584:21
89.46:584:22
99.46:584:23
109.46:584:24
119.56:574:25
129.56:574:26
139.56:574:27
149.56:574:28
159.56:574:29
169.66:564:30
179.66:564:31
189.66:564:32
199.66:554:33
209.66:554:34
219.76:544:35
229.76:544:36
239.76:534:37
249.86:534:38
259.86:524:39
269.86:524:40
279.86:514:41
289.96:504:42
299.96:504:44
309.96:494:45
3110.06:484:46

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 2.54 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.09 kWh/m² to a high of 5.46 kWh/m² in May across the year — January's 2.54 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.3Moderate
22.3Moderate
32.3Moderate
42.3Moderate
52.4Moderate
62.4Moderate
72.4Moderate
82.4Moderate
92.4Moderate
102.4Moderate
112.4Moderate
122.4Moderate
132.4Moderate
142.4Moderate
152.5Moderate
162.5Moderate
172.5Moderate
182.5Moderate
192.5Moderate
202.6Moderate
212.6Moderate
222.6Moderate
232.6Moderate
242.7Moderate
252.7Moderate
262.7Moderate
272.8Moderate
282.8Moderate
292.8Moderate
302.9Moderate
312.9Moderate
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Kesennuma

In seasonPeak

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

Kesennuma 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 Kesennuma?

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 Kesennuma.

What to pack for Kesennuma in January

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

In January, Kesennuma sees daytime highs around 4°C and nights near -2°C. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: a heavy coat. About 7 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coat

Sea temperature near Kesennuma in January

The nearest coast averages about 11°C in January — 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 22°C and coldest in March near 7°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 21 to Oct 3 — about 2.5 months when the water holds above 20°C.

5°10°15°20°25°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan11Bracing
Feb8Bracing
Mar7Bracing
Apr9Bracing
May12Bracing
Jun17Cool
Jul20Cool
Aug22Refreshing
Sep22Refreshing
Oct19Cool
Nov16Cool
Dec13Bracing

UV index in Kesennuma 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 Kesennuma peaks around August 18 at about 9 (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 highVery highHighModerateLowAug 18UV 9Jan 1UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul7High
Aug9Very high
Sep7Very high
Oct5Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Kesennuma 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 Kesennuma 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 Kesennuma?

Kesennuma sits at 38.9°N, 141.6°E, 14 m above sea level, in Japan. The nearest listed city is Rikuzen-Takata, 15 km away.

Topography around Kesennuma

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Kesennuma has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 350 m around an average of 54 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 890 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,889 m.

The land around Kesennuma is covered by trees (54%) and artificial surfaces (30%) within 3 km, trees (55%) and water (36%) within 16 km, and trees (54%) and water (33%) within 80 km.

3 km
350 m
16 km
890 m
80 km
1,889 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
January weather nearby: Rikuzen-Takata 15 km · Ōfunato 22 km · Ichinoseki 38 km · Tome 42 km · Ōshū 44 km · Mizusawa 46 km · Tōno 46 km · Kamaishi 49 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 Kesennuma (38.9011°, 141.5775°, elevation 14 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).