Matsue weather in December

In December, Matsue sees average daytime highs of 11°C and overnight lows near 8°C, with 182 mm of precipitation across 20.7 wet days and about 9.6 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 13°C in the first days to 9°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 10% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 48 min at the start of December to 9 h 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Matsue's 8th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Matsue's year-round climate.

Daytime high
11°
10th warmest
Overnight low
4th coldest
Precipitation
182 mm
20.7 wet days
Daylight
9 h 36 min
7:16 AM – 4:52 PM
Cloud cover
68%
8th clearest
Wind
24 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
1.99 kWh/m²
Travel score
2.0
out of 10

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 13°C in the first days to 9°C by the end.

A typical December day in Matsue reaches about 11°C in the afternoon and slips back to 8°C overnight — a 3°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 7°C and 14°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 5°C cooler than November and about 3°C warmer than January.

10°15°20°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
11310
21310
3139
4129
5129
6129
7129
8129
9128
10118
11118
12118
13118
14118
15118
16118
17117
18107
19107
20107
21107
22107
23107
24107
25107
26107
27107
28106
2996
3096
3196

How December really feels in Matsue

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 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
0
wind chill below the day's low

December sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Matsue weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / 17722.45.49.91.0
Feb / 13217.34.310.71.2
Mar11° / 134151.211.72.4
Apr15° / 11°10810.8012.94.5
May19° / 15°1209.9013.86.1
Jun22° / 20°14511.3014.46.2
Jul26° / 24°18413.3014.26.0
Aug28° / 25°12311.4013.36.2
Sep25° / 22°18413.3012.26.2
Oct20° / 17°11511.1011.16.2
Nov16° / 12°12014.6010.14.3
Dec11° / 18220.739.62.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 10% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 26% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 64%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13763
23763
33763
43763
53664
63664
73664
83565
93664
103664
113664
123664
133565
143565
153565
163664
173664
183664
193664
203565
213565
223664
233664
243664
253664
263664
273565
283565
293565
303565
313565

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Matsue gets around 182 mm of rain and snow over 20.7 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 66% and peaks near 68% on the wettest days, and about 3 days bring snow.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1603
2614
3624
4625
5635
6645
7646
8656
9656
10667
11667
12678
13678
14678
15678
16679
17679
186710
196710
206811
216811
226812
236812
246812
256712
266713
276713
286713
296713
306713
316714

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 99% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)
1982
2982
3982
4982
5982
6982
7991
8991
9991
10991
11991
12991
131000
141000
151000
161000
171000
181000
191000
201000
211000
221000
231000
241000
251000
261000
271000
281000
291000
301000
311000

Wind in December

Winds average 24 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 23 km/h on the calmest days to 25 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0102030151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
123breezy
223breezy
323breezy
423breezy
523breezy
623breezy
724breezy
824breezy
924breezy
1024breezy
1124breezy
1224breezy
1324breezy
1424breezy
1525breezy
1625breezy
1725breezy
1825breezy
1925breezy
2025breezy
2125breezy
2225breezy
2325breezy
2425breezy
2525breezy
2625breezy
2725breezy
2825breezy
2925breezy
3025breezy
3125breezy

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 48 min at the start of December to 9 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 7:04 AM to 7:22 AM, and sunset from 4:51 PM to 5:00 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.87:044:51
29.87:054:51
39.77:064:51
49.77:074:51
59.77:084:51
69.77:084:51
79.77:094:51
89.77:104:51
99.77:114:51
109.77:114:51
119.67:124:51
129.67:134:51
139.67:144:52
149.67:144:52
159.67:154:52
169.67:164:52
179.67:164:53
189.67:174:53
199.67:174:53
209.67:184:54
219.67:184:54
229.67:194:55
239.67:194:55
249.67:204:56
259.67:204:56
269.67:204:57
279.67:214:57
289.67:214:58
299.67:214:59
309.67:224:59
319.67:225:00

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.99 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.99 kWh/m² to a high of 5.78 kWh/m² in May across the year — December's 1.99 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.1Moderate
22.1Moderate
32.1Moderate
42.0Moderate
52.0Moderate
62.0Moderate
72.0Moderate
82.0Moderate
92.0Dim
102.0Dim
112.0Dim
122.0Dim
132.0Dim
142.0Dim
152.0Dim
162.0Dim
172.0Dim
182.0Dim
192.0Dim
202.0Moderate
212.0Moderate
222.0Moderate
232.0Moderate
242.0Moderate
252.0Moderate
262.0Moderate
272.0Moderate
282.1Moderate
292.1Moderate
302.1Moderate
312.1Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Matsue

In seasonPeak

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

Matsue 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 December a good time to visit Matsue?

Our two travel scores rate December for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

2.0
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Matsue.

What to pack for Matsue in December

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

In December, Matsue sees daytime highs around 11°C and nights near 8°C. Pack a warm layer and rain gear. Worth having: a windbreaker. About 21 days see rain.

a warm layerrain geara windbreaker

Sea temperature near Matsue in December

The nearest coast averages about 17°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 17 km away) is warmest in August at about 27°C and coldest in February near 13°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jun 12 to Nov 12 — about 5.1 months when the water holds above 20°C.

10°15°20°25°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan14Bracing
Feb13Bracing
Mar13Bracing
Apr14Bracing
May17Cool
Jun21Refreshing
Jul24Refreshing
Aug27Warm
Sep25Warm
Oct22Refreshing
Nov20Cool
Dec17Cool

UV index in Matsue in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 2. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Matsue peaks around July 18 at about 10 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 23 at about 2 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 10 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highExtremeVery highModerateJul 18UV 10Dec 23UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul11Extreme
Aug10Very high
Sep9Very high
Oct6High
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Matsue 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 Matsue is worst in April — around 22 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.3× the cleanest month (October, 10 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodApr 1222 µg/m³Oct 1310 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan14Moderate
Feb16Moderate
Mar21Moderate
Apr22Moderate
May20Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul13Moderate
Aug12Good
Sep11Good
Oct10Good
Nov12Good
Dec11Good
Location & terrain

Where is Matsue?

Matsue sits at 35.5°N, 133.1°E, 8 m above sea level, in Japan. The nearest listed city is Sakaiminato, 17 km away.

Topography around Matsue

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Matsue has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 243 m around an average of 24 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 583 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,689 m.

The land around Matsue is covered by artificial surfaces (36%) and trees (35%) within 3 km, trees (48%) and water (40%) within 16 km, and water (50%) and trees (46%) within 80 km.

3 km
243 m
16 km
583 m
80 km
1,689 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Sakaiminato 17 km · Yasugichō 19 km · Hiratachō 22 km · Yonago 26 km · Izumo 29 km · Unnan 30 km · Mikuriya 41 km · Yabase 57 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 Matsue (35.4833°, 133.05°, elevation 8 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).