Makubetsu weather in December

In December, Makubetsu sees average daytime highs of -0°C and overnight lows near -5°C, with 62 mm of precipitation across 12.4 wet days and about 8.6 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 2°C in the first days to -2°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 3% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 8 h 48 min at the start of December to 8 h 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Makubetsu's 11th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Makubetsu's year-round climate.

Daytime high
-0°
10th warmest
Overnight low
-5°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
62 mm
12.4 wet days
Daylight
8 h 30 min
7:12 AM – 3:45 PM
Cloud cover
78%
11th clearest
Wind
17 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
1.34 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 2°C in the first days to -2°C by the end.

A typical December day in Makubetsu reaches about -0°C in the afternoon and slips back to -5°C overnight — a 5°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between -4°C and 4°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 6°C cooler than November and about 3°C warmer than January.

-15°-10°-5°10°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12-2
22-2
32-3
42-3
51-3
61-3
71-3
81-4
91-4
100-4
110-4
120-4
130-5
140-5
150-5
16-1-5
17-1-5
18-1-5
19-1-6
20-1-6
21-1-6
22-1-6
23-1-6
24-1-6
25-1-6
26-1-6
27-2-6
28-2-6
29-2-7
30-2-7
31-2-7

How December really feels in Makubetsu

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
20 feel bitter (≤ -10°C)

The story in December is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.

Makubetsu weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 7th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan-3° / -8°439.815.18.90.0
Feb-2° / -8°398.411.910.10.0
Mar / -4°5410.411.111.60.0
Apr / 60114.413.21.3
May13° / 6910.50.414.63.6
Jun17° / 11°599.5015.45.4
Jul21° / 15°9610015.16.3
Aug23° / 17°11911.7013.96.3
Sep20° / 14°12012.9012.35.8
Oct14° / 9513.90.210.73.7
Nov / 8613.47.59.30.7
Dec-0° / -5°6212.415.68.60.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 3% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 17% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 80%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12575
22575
32476
42476
52476
62377
72377
82377
92377
102278
112278
122278
132278
142278
152278
162179
172179
182179
192080
202080
211882
221783
231783
241783
251783
261783
271783
281783
291783
301684
311684

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Makubetsu gets around 62 mm of rain and snow over 12.4 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 40% and peaks near 44% on the wettest days, and about 16 days bring snow. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
14446
24447
34447
44348
54349
64350
74250
84250
94251
104151
114151
124051
134051
143950
153950
163950
173849
183849
193849
203849
213849
223849
233849
243849
253749
263749
273749
283750
293650
303650
313650

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 17 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 16 km/h on the calmest days to 18 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
118light breeze
218light breeze
318light breeze
418light breeze
518light breeze
617light breeze
717light breeze
817light breeze
917light breeze
1017light breeze
1117light breeze
1217light breeze
1317light breeze
1417light breeze
1517light breeze
1616light breeze
1716light breeze
1816light breeze
1916light breeze
2016light breeze
2116light breeze
2216light breeze
2316light breeze
2416light breeze
2516light breeze
2616light breeze
2716light breeze
2816light breeze
2916light breeze
3016light breeze
3116light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 8 h 48 min at the start of December to 8 h 36 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 12 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 6:59 AM to 7:19 AM, and sunset from 3:46 PM to 3:53 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
18.86:593:46
28.87:003:46
38.77:013:46
48.77:023:45
58.77:033:45
68.77:043:45
78.77:053:45
88.67:063:45
98.67:073:45
108.67:083:45
118.67:093:45
128.67:093:45
138.67:103:45
148.67:113:45
158.67:123:45
168.57:123:45
178.57:133:46
188.57:143:46
198.57:143:46
208.57:153:47
218.57:153:47
228.57:163:47
238.57:163:48
248.57:173:48
258.57:173:49
268.57:173:50
278.57:183:50
288.57:183:51
298.67:183:52
308.67:183:52
318.67:193:53

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.34 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.34 kWh/m² to a high of 5.67 kWh/m² in May across the year — December's 1.34 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.52151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.4Dim
21.4Dim
31.4Dim
41.4Dim
51.4Dim
61.4Dim
71.4Dim
81.4Dim
91.4Dim
101.4Dim
111.3Dim
121.3Dim
131.3Dim
141.3Dim
151.3Dim
161.4Dim
171.4Dim
181.4Dim
191.4Dim
201.4Dim
211.4Dim
221.4Dim
231.4Dim
241.4Dim
251.4Dim
261.4Dim
271.4Dim
281.4Dim
291.4Dim
301.5Dim
311.5Dim
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Makubetsu?

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 Makubetsu.

What to pack for Makubetsu in December

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

In December, Makubetsu sees daytime highs around -0°C and nights near -5°C. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 12 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

Sea temperature near Makubetsu in December

The nearest coast averages about 7°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 15 km away) is warmest in August at about 20°C and coldest in February near 3°C.

The water stays below 20°C all year — cool enough that most swimmers want a wetsuit.

0°10°20°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshing
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan4Bracing
Feb3Bracing
Mar4Bracing
Apr6Bracing
May9Bracing
Jun12Bracing
Jul17Cool
Aug20Cool
Sep20Cool
Oct16Cool
Nov11Bracing
Dec7Bracing

UV index in Makubetsu 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 Makubetsu peaks around August 13 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen and a hat are worth it in the middle of the day. It bottoms out near December 21 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 highModerateLowAug 13UV 8Dec 21UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Low
Mar3Moderate
Apr5Moderate
May7High
Jun6High
Jul7High
Aug8Very high
Sep5High
Oct3Moderate
Nov1Low
Dec1Low

Air quality in Makubetsu 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 Makubetsu is worst in April — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.9× the cleanest month (December, 6 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodApr 1216 µg/m³Dec 236 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan6Good
Feb9Good
Mar15Moderate
Apr16Moderate
May14Moderate
Jun8Good
Jul8Good
Aug8Good
Sep6Good
Oct8Good
Nov8Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Makubetsu?

Makubetsu sits at 45.4°N, 141.8°E, 33 m above sea level, in Japan. The nearest listed city is Wakkanai, 12 km away.

MinamishibetsuchōNevel’skKorsakovRumoiMombetsuAsahikawa

Topography around Makubetsu

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Makubetsu has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 135 m around an average of 22 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 276 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,669 m.

The land around Makubetsu is covered by trees (41%) and grassland (38%) within 3 km, trees (51%) and water (25%) within 16 km, and water (70%) and trees (24%) within 80 km.

3 km
135 m
16 km
276 m
80 km
1,669 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Wakkanai 12 km · Nayoro 124 km · Minamishibetsuchō 142 km · Nevel’sk 145 km · Korsakov 159 km · Rumoi 160 km · Mombetsu 166 km · Asahikawa 183 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 Makubetsu (45.3714°, 141.8211°, elevation 33 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. 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).