Makubetsu weather in January

In January, Makubetsu sees average daytime highs of -3°C and overnight lows near -8°C, with 43 mm of precipitation across 9.8 wet days and about 8.9 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 11th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near -3°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 1% of the time in January, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 8 h 36 min at the start of January to 9 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Makubetsu's 12th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Makubetsu's year-round climate.

Daytime high
-3°
12th warmest
Overnight low
-8°
2nd coldest
Precipitation
43 mm
9.8 wet days
Daylight
8 h 54 min
7:15 AM – 4:09 PM
Cloud cover
82%
12th clearest
Wind
15 km/h
6th windiest
Solar energy
1.72 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Temperature in January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near -3°C through the month.

A typical January day in Makubetsu reaches about -3°C in the afternoon and slips back to -8°C overnight — a 5°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between -7°C and 1°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 3°C cooler than December and on par with February.

-15°-10°-5°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
1-2-7
2-2-7
3-2-7
4-2-7
5-2-7
6-2-7
7-3-8
8-3-8
9-3-8
10-3-8
11-3-8
12-3-8
13-3-8
14-3-8
15-3-8
16-3-8
17-3-8
18-3-8
19-3-9
20-3-9
21-3-9
22-3-9
23-3-9
24-3-9
25-3-9
26-3-9
27-3-9
28-3-9
29-3-9
30-3-9
31-3-9

How January really feels in Makubetsu

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
31 feel bitter (≤ -10°C)

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

Makubetsu 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-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 January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 1% of the time in January, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 13% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 86%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
11684
21684
31684
41684
51684
61684
71684
81684
91585
101585
111585
121585
131486
141387
151387
161387
171387
181387
191288
201288
211288
221288
231387
241387
251387
261387
271387
281486
291486
301486
311486

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitationSnow

Makubetsu gets around 43 mm of rain and snow over 9.8 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 31% and peaks near 35% on the wettest days, and about 15 days bring snow.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
13550
23450
33450
43350
53250
63149
73149
83048
93048
103048
113048
123047
133047
143047
153047
163047
173147
183147
193148
203248
213248
223248
233348
243348
253248
263248
273248
283147
293147
303046
313046

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.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 14 km/h on the calmest days to 16 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
116light breeze
216light 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
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 8 h 36 min at the start of January to 9 h 24 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 48 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 7:18 AM to 7:03 AM, and sunset from 3:54 PM to 4:29 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
18.67:183:54
28.67:183:54
38.67:183:55
48.67:183:56
58.67:183:57
68.77:183:58
78.77:183:59
88.77:184:00
98.77:184:01
108.77:174:02
118.87:174:03
128.87:174:04
138.87:164:05
148.87:164:07
158.97:164:08
168.97:154:09
178.97:154:10
189.07:144:11
199.07:134:13
209.07:134:14
219.17:124:15
229.17:114:16
239.17:114:18
249.27:104:19
259.27:094:20
269.27:084:22
279.37:074:23
289.37:064:25
299.37:054:26
309.47:044:27
319.47:034:29

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 1.72 kWh/m².

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 — January's 1.72 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.5Dim
21.5Dim
31.5Dim
41.5Dim
51.5Dim
61.6Dim
71.6Dim
81.6Dim
91.6Dim
101.6Dim
111.6Dim
121.6Dim
131.6Dim
141.7Dim
151.7Dim
161.7Dim
171.7Dim
181.7Dim
191.8Dim
201.8Dim
211.8Dim
221.8Dim
231.9Dim
241.9Dim
251.9Dim
261.9Dim
272.0Dim
282.0Moderate
292.0Moderate
302.1Moderate
312.1Moderate
Planning a trip in January

Is January a good time to visit Makubetsu?

Our two travel scores rate January 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

January is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Makubetsu.

What to pack for Makubetsu in January

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

In January, Makubetsu sees daytime highs around -3°C and nights near -8°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 Makubetsu in January

The nearest coast averages about 4°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 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 January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January 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 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 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
January 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).