Motomachi weather in May

In May, Motomachi sees average daytime highs of 15°C and overnight lows near 6°C, with 77 mm of precipitation across 11.6 wet days and about 14.5 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 13°C in the first days to 17°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 22% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 54 min at the start of May to 15 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Motomachi's 9th-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Motomachi's year-round climate.

Daytime high
15°
5th warmest
Overnight low
8th coldest
Precipitation
77 mm
11.6 wet days
Daylight
14 h 30 min
4:04 AM – 6:36 PM
Cloud cover
69%
9th clearest
Wind
12 km/h
3rd windiest
Solar energy
5.2 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.4
out of 10

Motomachi is town in Abashiri district, Hokkaidō, Japan.

Density
52/km²
people per km²
Founded
1923

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 13°C in the first days to 17°C by the end.

A typical May day in Motomachi reaches about 15°C in the afternoon and slips back to 6°C overnight — a 10°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 8°C and 22°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 6°C warmer than April and about 4°C cooler than June.

10°20°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
1133
2133
3133
4144
5144
6144
7144
8144
9145
10145
11155
12155
13155
14155
15156
16156
17156
18166
19166
20166
21167
22167
23167
24177
25177
26177
27178
28178
29178
30178
31178

How May really feels in Motomachi

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 2 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
2
wind chill below the day's low

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

Motomachi weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan-4° / -13°578.39.69.10.0
Feb-3° / -13°446.98.310.20.0
Mar / -7°609.69.611.60.0
Apr / -1°6911.66.213.21.8
May15° / 7711.61.214.54.4
Jun19° / 10°7711.1015.25.7
Jul22° / 15°10711.6014.96.2
Aug23° / 16°13412.5013.86.2
Sep20° / 12°12212012.35.8
Oct14° / 909.80.210.84.2
Nov / -1°659.64.29.50.9
Dec-1° / -9°718.98.68.80.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 22% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 15% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 63%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13862
23862
33862
43862
53862
63862
73862
83763
93862
103862
113862
123862
133862
143763
153763
163664
173763
183763
193763
203664
213664
223664
233664
243664
253664
263664
273565
283565
293565
303466
313466

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitationSnow

Motomachi gets around 77 mm of rain and snow over 11.6 wet days in May. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 38% and peaks near 40% on the wettest days, and about 1 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
14010
24010
3409
4409
5398
6398
7397
8397
9396
10396
11396
12395
13395
14385
15384
16384
17384
18383
19373
20373
21372
22372
23362
24361
25361
26361
27361
28361
29360
30360
31360

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of May feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, May 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 (%)
11000
21000
31000
41000
51000
61000
71000
81000
91000
101000
111000
121000
131000
141000
151000
161000
171000
18991
19991
20991
21991
22991
23982
24982
25982
26982
27973
28973
29964
30964
31955

Wind in May

Winds average 12 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 11 km/h on the calmest days to 12 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
112light breeze
212light breeze
312light breeze
412light breeze
512light breeze
612light breeze
712light breeze
812light breeze
912calm
1012calm
1112calm
1212calm
1312calm
1412calm
1512calm
1611calm
1711calm
1811calm
1911calm
2011calm
2111calm
2211calm
2311calm
2411calm
2511calm
2611calm
2711calm
2811calm
2911calm
3011calm
3111calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 54 min at the start of May to 15 hours by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 66 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 4:23 AM to 3:51 AM, and sunset from 6:18 PM to 6:51 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.94:236:18
214.04:226:20
314.04:206:21
414.04:196:22
514.14:186:23
614.14:166:24
714.24:156:25
814.24:146:27
914.34:126:28
1014.34:116:29
1114.34:106:30
1214.44:096:31
1314.44:076:32
1414.54:066:34
1514.54:056:35
1614.54:046:36
1714.64:036:37
1814.64:026:38
1914.64:016:39
2014.74:006:40
2114.73:596:41
2214.73:586:42
2314.83:576:43
2414.83:566:44
2514.83:556:45
2614.93:556:46
2714.93:546:47
2814.93:536:48
2914.93:526:49
3015.03:526:50
3115.03:516:51

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.2 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.71 kWh/m² to a high of 5.2 kWh/m² in May across the year — May's 5.2 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.2Bright
25.2Bright
35.2Bright
45.2Bright
55.2Bright
65.2Bright
75.2Bright
85.2Bright
95.2Bright
105.2Bright
115.2Bright
125.2Bright
135.2Bright
145.2Bright
155.2Bright
165.2Bright
175.2Bright
185.2Bright
195.2Bright
205.2Bright
215.2Bright
225.2Bright
235.2Bright
245.2Bright
255.3Bright
265.3Bright
275.3Bright
285.3Bright
295.3Bright
305.3Bright
315.3Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Motomachi

In seasonPeak

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

Motomachi 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 May a good time to visit Motomachi?

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

4.4
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
0.5
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Motomachi for sightseeing.

What to pack for Motomachi in May

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

In May, Motomachi sees daytime highs around 15°C and nights near 6°C. Worth packing: a warm layer, rain gear and sun protection. About 12 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Motomachi in May

The nearest coast averages about 5°C in May — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 33 km away) is warmest in August at about 17°C and coldest in February near -1°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
Jan0Bracing
Feb-1Bracing
Mar0Bracing
Apr1Bracing
May5Bracing
Jun10Bracing
Jul14Bracing
Aug17Cool
Sep17Cool
Oct12Bracing
Nov7Bracing
Dec3Bracing

UV index in Motomachi in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 7 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Motomachi peaks around August 16 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen and a hat are worth it in the middle of the day. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 1 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowAug 16UV 8Dec 19UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar3Moderate
Apr5Moderate
May7High
Jun7High
Jul6High
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low

Air quality in Motomachi in May

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where May falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Motomachi is worst in April — around 15 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.6× the cleanest month (December, 6 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodApr 1115 µg/m³Dec 176 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb10Good
Mar15Moderate
Apr15Moderate
May13Moderate
Jun9Good
Jul9Good
Aug8Good
Sep7Good
Oct9Good
Nov7Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Motomachi?

Motomachi sits at 43.8°N, 144.1°E, 26 m above sea level, in Japan. The nearest listed city is Kitami, 17 km away.

Topography around Motomachi

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Motomachi has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 115 m around an average of 38 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 428 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,837 m.

The land around Motomachi is covered by cropland (34%), trees (32%) and artificial surfaces (21%) within 3 km, trees (54%) and cropland (32%) within 16 km, and trees (60%) and water (24%) within 80 km.

3 km
115 m
16 km
428 m
80 km
1,837 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Kitami 17 km · Abashiri 26 km · Engaru 51 km · Nakashibetsu 77 km · Mombetsu 83 km · Shibetsu 85 km · Kushiro 97 km · Otofuke 118 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 Motomachi (43.8263°, 144.0964°, elevation 26 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).