Minamisatsuma in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Minamisatsuma sees average daytime highs around 13°C and overnight lows near 9°C, with 323 mm of rain over about 35 wet days across the season. It is the coldest season of the year and the driest season of the year.
Over the season highs ease from about 16°C in early December to 14°C by late February. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 23% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels dry.
Winter is Minamisatsuma's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Minamisatsuma's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 13°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 9°C
- Rainfall
- 323 mm
- 35 wet days
- Avg wind
- 18 km/h
- Travel score
- 3.5
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Minamisatsuma in Winter
Over the season highs ease from about 16°C in early December to 14°C by late February.
A typical winter day in Minamisatsuma reaches about 13°C and drops to 9°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest January.
How winter really feels in Minamisatsuma
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
winter sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.
Minamisatsuma weather by month
How the three winter months (December, January and February) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 12° / 8° | 104 | 12.5 | 10.2 | 3.0 |
| Feb | 13° / 8° | 117 | 11.5 | 10.9 | 3.4 |
| Mar | 16° / 11° | 170 | 13.6 | 11.8 | 4.5 |
| Apr | 19° / 14° | 189 | 12.1 | 12.7 | 5.8 |
| May | 23° / 18° | 207 | 11.7 | 13.6 | 6.4 |
| Jun | 26° / 22° | 499 | 19.3 | 14 | 5.0 |
| Jul | 29° / 25° | 307 | 17.5 | 13.8 | 4.5 |
| Aug | 30° / 26° | 164 | 15.3 | 13.1 | 4.3 |
| Sep | 28° / 24° | 206 | 13.4 | 12.2 | 5.5 |
| Oct | 24° / 19° | 113 | 9 | 11.2 | 7.2 |
| Nov | 19° / 15° | 127 | 9.5 | 10.4 | 6.2 |
| Dec | 14° / 10° | 102 | 10.5 | 10 | 4.2 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 23% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Minamisatsuma gets around 323 mm of rain over 35 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 18 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 10 h 06 min in early December to 11 h 12 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Winter
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across winter, about 2.7 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Minamisatsuma
In winter, Minamisatsuma overlaps its pacific typhoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Minamisatsuma sits in the Pacific typhoon belt; the season peaks July–October.
Minamisatsuma's rainy season runs June–July, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is winter a good time to visit Minamisatsuma?
Our two travel scores rate winter for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
winter is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Minamisatsuma.
What to pack for Minamisatsuma in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Minamisatsuma sees daytime highs around 13°C and nights near 9°C. Worth packing: a warm layer and rain gear. About 35 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Minamisatsuma in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 19°C across winter — 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 28°C and coldest in February near 18°C.
It's comfortable for a long swim from Apr 26 to Dec 26 — about 8.1 months when the water holds above 20°C.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 19 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 21 | 24 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 25 | 23 | 21 |
| Comfort | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Refreshing | Refreshing | Warm | Tropical | Warm | Warm | Refreshing | Refreshing |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 19 | Cool |
| Feb | 18 | Cool |
| Mar | 19 | Cool |
| Apr | 19 | Cool |
| May | 21 | Refreshing |
| Jun | 24 | Refreshing |
| Jul | 27 | Warm |
| Aug | 28 | Tropical |
| Sep | 27 | Warm |
| Oct | 25 | Warm |
| Nov | 23 | Refreshing |
| Dec | 21 | Refreshing |
UV index in Minamisatsuma in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 4 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Minamisatsuma peaks around June 23 at about 11 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 1 at about 4 (moderate).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 4 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 6 | 5 | 4 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | High | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Extreme | High | Moderate | Moderate |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4 | Moderate |
| Feb | 5 | Moderate |
| Mar | 7 | High |
| Apr | 8 | Very high |
| May | 8 | Very high |
| Jun | 11 | Extreme |
| Jul | 11 | Extreme |
| Aug | 9 | Very high |
| Sep | 10 | Extreme |
| Oct | 6 | High |
| Nov | 5 | Moderate |
| Dec | 4 | Moderate |
Air quality in Minamisatsuma in Winter
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where winter falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Minamisatsuma is worst in April — around 23 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.9× the cleanest month (October, 12 µg/m³).
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 15 | 19 | 22 | 23 | 21 | 17 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 13 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 15 | Moderate |
| Feb | 19 | Moderate |
| Mar | 22 | Moderate |
| Apr | 23 | Moderate |
| May | 21 | Moderate |
| Jun | 17 | Moderate |
| Jul | 12 | Moderate |
| Aug | 14 | Moderate |
| Sep | 12 | Moderate |
| Oct | 12 | Moderate |
| Nov | 14 | Moderate |
| Dec | 13 | Moderate |
Where is Minamisatsuma?
Minamisatsuma sits at 31.4°N, 130.3°E, 272 m above sea level, in Japan. The nearest listed city is Kaseda-shirakame, 4.0 km away.
Topography around Minamisatsuma
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Minamisatsuma.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Minamisatsuma has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 500 m around an average of 140 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 611 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,382 m.
The land around Minamisatsuma is covered by trees (94%) within 3 km, trees (53%) and water (35%) within 16 km, and water (69%) and trees (27%) within 80 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
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 Minamisatsuma (31.39°, 130.2834°, elevation 272 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.