Minakami weather in December

In December, Minakami sees average daytime highs of 4°C and overnight lows near -3°C, with 96 mm of precipitation across 18.2 wet days and about 9.5 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 6°C in the first days to 2°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 19% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 42 min at the start of December to 9 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Minakami's 2nd-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Minakami's year-round climate.

Daytime high
10th warmest
Overnight low
-3°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
96 mm
18.2 wet days
Daylight
9 h 30 min
6:55 AM – 4:25 PM
Cloud cover
64%
2nd clearest
Wind
7 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
2.2 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.1
out of 10

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 6°C in the first days to 2°C by the end.

A typical December day in Minakami reaches about 4°C in the afternoon and slips back to -3°C overnight — a 7°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between -1°C and 8°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 6°C cooler than November and about 3°C warmer than January.

-10°-5°10°15°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
17-1
26-1
36-1
46-1
56-1
65-2
75-2
85-2
95-2
105-2
114-3
124-3
134-3
144-3
154-3
164-3
173-4
183-4
193-4
203-4
213-4
223-4
233-4
242-4
252-5
262-5
272-5
282-5
292-5
302-5
312-5

How December really feels in Minakami

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
wind chill below the day's low

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

Minakami weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / -6°11020.621.89.80.0
Feb / -6°9417.418.410.60.0
Mar / -3°12317.914.811.70.3
Apr12° / 11614.94.212.92.7
May17° / 12914.90.313.94.9
Jun21° / 13°15517.1014.55.0
Jul24° / 18°20520.4014.35.0
Aug25° / 18°14517.1013.45.6
Sep21° / 15°17615.8012.25.4
Oct16° / 15313.70.311.14.4
Nov10° / 8513.44.8102.0
Dec / -3°9618.216.69.50.1

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 19% 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 63%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14159
24060
33961
44060
53961
63961
73961
83862
93862
103763
113763
123763
133763
143763
153763
163763
173664
183763
193763
203664
213664
223664
233664
243664
253664
263565
273565
283565
293466
303466
313268

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Minakami gets around 96 mm of rain and snow over 18.2 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 59% and peaks near 66% on the wettest days, and about 17 days bring snow. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
15134
25236
35338
45439
55441
65543
75644
85746
95747
105849
115850
125851
135852
145853
155853
165854
175855
185955
195956
205957
216058
226059
236060
246161
256162
266263
276364
286365
296466
306567
316667

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 7 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 7 km/h on the calmest days to 8 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
198calm
208calm
218calm
228calm
238calm
248calm
258calm
268calm
278calm
288calm
298calm
308calm
318calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 42 min at the start of December to 9 h 30 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 6:44 AM to 7:02 AM, and sunset from 4:24 PM to 4:33 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.76:444:24
29.76:454:24
39.66:454:24
49.66:464:24
59.66:474:24
69.66:484:24
79.66:494:24
89.66:504:24
99.66:504:24
109.56:514:24
119.56:524:24
129.56:524:24
139.56:534:25
149.56:544:25
159.56:554:25
169.56:554:25
179.56:564:26
189.56:564:26
199.56:574:26
209.56:574:27
219.56:584:27
229.56:584:28
239.56:594:28
249.56:594:29
259.57:004:29
269.57:004:30
279.57:004:30
289.57:014:31
299.57:014:32
309.57:014:32
319.57:024:33

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 2.2 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.2 kWh/m² to a high of 5.51 kWh/m² in May across the year — December's 2.2 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.2Moderate
22.2Moderate
32.2Moderate
42.2Moderate
52.2Moderate
62.2Moderate
72.2Moderate
82.2Moderate
92.2Moderate
102.2Moderate
112.2Moderate
122.2Moderate
132.2Moderate
142.2Moderate
152.2Moderate
162.2Moderate
172.2Moderate
182.2Moderate
192.2Moderate
202.2Moderate
212.2Moderate
222.2Moderate
232.2Moderate
242.3Moderate
252.3Moderate
262.3Moderate
272.3Moderate
282.3Moderate
292.3Moderate
302.3Moderate
312.3Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Minakami?

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

0.1
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 Minakami.

What to pack for Minakami in December

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

In December, Minakami sees daytime highs around 4°C and nights near -3°C. Pack a warm layer and rain gear. Worth having: a heavy coat. About 18 days see rain.

a warm layerrain geara heavy coat

UV index in Minakami 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 Minakami peaks around August 12 at about 10 (very high) — 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 highModerateAug 12UV 10Dec 23UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar5High
Apr7High
May9Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug10Very high
Sep9Very high
Oct6High
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Minakami 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 Minakami is worst in April — around 21 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.1× the cleanest month (December, 10 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodApr 1821 µg/m³Dec 1610 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb14Moderate
Mar19Moderate
Apr21Moderate
May20Moderate
Jun18Moderate
Jul15Moderate
Aug13Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct12Good
Nov11Good
Dec10Good
Location & terrain

Where is Minakami?

Minakami sits at 36.7°N, 139.0°E, 391 m above sea level, in Japan. The nearest listed city is Numata, 8.0 km away.

Topography around Minakami

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Minakami has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 572 m around an average of 501 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,655 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,549 m.

The land around Minakami is covered by trees (66%) within 3 km, trees (83%) within 16 km, and trees (79%) within 80 km.

3 km
572 m
16 km
1,655 m
80 km
2,549 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: Numata 8.0 km · Nakanojō 17 km · Shibukawa 23 km · Ogura 26 km · Kanekomachi 31 km · Maebashi 33 km · Midori 38 km · Ōmamachō-ōmama 38 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 Minakami (36.6882°, 138.9863°, elevation 391 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. 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).