Motosu weather in December

In December, Motosu sees average daytime highs of 10°C and overnight lows near 2°C, with 86 mm of precipitation across 10.3 wet days and about 9.6 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 12°C in the first days to 8°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 40% 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 Motosu's 1st-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Motosu's year-round climate.

Daytime high
10°
10th warmest
Overnight low
3rd coldest
Precipitation
86 mm
10.3 wet days
Daylight
9 h 36 min
7:01 AM – 4:38 PM
Cloud cover
50%
1st clearest
Wind
8 km/h
5th windiest
Solar energy
2.34 kWh/m²
Travel score
2.2
out of 10

Motosu is city in Gifu Prefecture, Japan.

Density
88/km²
people per km²
Founded
2004

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

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 12°C in the first days to 8°C by the end.

A typical December day in Motosu reaches about 10°C in the afternoon and slips back to 2°C overnight — a 7°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 6°C and 14°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 6°C cooler than November and about 3°C warmer than January.

-5°10°15°20°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
1125
2124
3124
4124
5114
6114
7114
8113
9113
10103
11103
12103
13103
14102
15102
16102
1792
1892
1992
2092
2192
2292
2391
2491
2581
2681
2781
2881
2981
3081
3181

How December really feels in Motosu

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 18 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
18
wind chill below the day's low

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

Motosu 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 / 789.74.49.91.0
Feb / 829.13.510.71.5
Mar12° / 15711.90.811.73.2
Apr18° / 18612.30.112.95.3
May22° / 13°21613.1013.86.2
Jun25° / 18°27515.6014.45.6
Jul29° / 22°37219.5014.24.3
Aug30° / 23°22815.7013.34.2
Sep27° / 19°29114.6012.25.7
Oct21° / 13°20211.7011.16.4
Nov15° / 1209.3010.14.9
Dec10° / 8610.32.39.62.2

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 40% of the time in December, the clearest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 25% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 36%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16337
26238
36337
46238
56238
66337
76337
86337
96337
106337
116337
126337
136337
146337
156337
166337
176337
186436
196436
206535
216535
226535
236535
246634
256634
266634
276634
286733
296733
306733
316634

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Motosu gets around 86 mm of rain and snow over 10.3 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 33% and peaks near 36% on the wettest days, and about 2 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1301
2301
3302
4302
5313
6313
7314
8324
9335
10335
11346
12346
13357
14357
15358
16368
17368
18369
19359
20359
213510
223510
233410
243410
253411
263411
273311
283312
293312
303312
313212

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 (%)Comfortable (%)
1991
2991
3991
41000
51000
61000
71000
81000
91000
101000
111000
121000
131000
141000
151000
161000
171000
181000
191000
201000
211000
221000
231000
241000
251000
261000
271000
281000
291000
301000
311000

Wind in December

Winds average 8 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 8 km/h on the calmest days to 9 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
18calm
28calm
38calm
48calm
58calm
68calm
78calm
88calm
98calm
108calm
118calm
128calm
138calm
148calm
158calm
168calm
178calm
188calm
199calm
209calm
219calm
229calm
239calm
249calm
259calm
269calm
279calm
289calm
299calm
309calm
319calm

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 6:50 AM to 7:07 AM, and sunset from 4:36 PM to 4:45 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.86:504:36
29.86:514:36
39.76:514:36
49.76:524:36
59.76:534:36
69.76:544:36
79.76:554:36
89.76:554:36
99.76:564:36
109.76:574:37
119.66:584:37
129.66:584:37
139.66:594:37
149.67:004:37
159.67:004:38
169.67:014:38
179.67:024:38
189.67:024:39
199.67:034:39
209.67:034:39
219.67:044:40
229.67:044:40
239.67:054:41
249.67:054:41
259.67:064:42
269.67:064:42
279.67:064:43
289.67:074:44
299.67:074:44
309.67:074:45
319.67:074:45

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 2.34 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.34 kWh/m² to a high of 5.37 kWh/m² in May across the year — December's 2.34 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.4Moderate
22.4Moderate
32.4Moderate
42.4Moderate
52.3Moderate
62.3Moderate
72.3Moderate
82.3Moderate
92.3Moderate
102.3Moderate
112.3Moderate
122.3Moderate
132.3Moderate
142.3Moderate
152.3Moderate
162.4Moderate
172.4Moderate
182.4Moderate
192.4Moderate
202.4Moderate
212.4Moderate
222.4Moderate
232.4Moderate
242.4Moderate
252.4Moderate
262.5Moderate
272.5Moderate
282.5Moderate
292.5Moderate
302.5Moderate
312.5Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Motosu

In seasonPeak

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

Motosu sits in the Pacific typhoon belt; the season peaks July–October.

Motosu's rainy season runs April–October, when most of the year's rain falls.

Pacific typhoon
Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is December a good time to visit Motosu?

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

2.2
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Motosu.

What to pack for Motosu in December

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

In December, Motosu sees daytime highs around 10°C and nights near 2°C. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: rain gear. About 10 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

Sea temperature near Motosu in December

The nearest coast averages about 16°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 68 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 May 31 to Nov 9 — about 5.4 months when the water holds above 20°C.

10°15°20°25°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan14Bracing
Feb13Bracing
Mar14Bracing
Apr15Cool
May18Cool
Jun22Refreshing
Jul26Warm
Aug27Warm
Sep26Warm
Oct22Refreshing
Nov19Cool
Dec16Cool

UV index in Motosu in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 3. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Motosu peaks around July 15 at about 10 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 1 at about 3 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highVery highModerateJul 15UV 10Jan 1UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul10Extreme
Aug9Very high
Sep9Very high
Oct6High
Nov3Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in Motosu 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 Motosu is worst in April — around 26 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateApr 1125 µg/m³Aug 1817 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan18Moderate
Feb20Moderate
Mar25Moderate
Apr26Moderate
May25Moderate
Jun21Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug17Moderate
Sep17Moderate
Oct18Moderate
Nov18Moderate
Dec16Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Motosu?

Motosu sits at 35.5°N, 136.7°E, 35 m above sea level, in Japan. The nearest listed city is Kurono, 4.0 km away.

Topography around Motosu

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Motosu has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 324 m around an average of 57 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,032 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,672 m.

The land around Motosu is covered by trees (35%), cropland (29%) and artificial surfaces (29%) within 3 km, trees (54%) and artificial surfaces (28%) within 16 km, and trees (67%) within 80 km.

3 km
324 m
16 km
1,032 m
80 km
2,672 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Kurono 4.0 km · Kitagata 6.0 km · Yamagata 9.0 km · Ibi 10 km · Mizuho 10 km · Ikeno 10 km · Gōdo 10 km · Gifu 10 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 Motosu (35.4838°, 136.6744°, elevation 35 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).