Niigata in Spring
In spring (March, April and May), Niigata sees average daytime highs around 13°C and overnight lows near 9°C, with 299 mm of precipitation over about 43 wet days across the season. It is the 3rd-warmest season and the driest season of the year.
Over the season highs climb from about 7°C in early March to 20°C by late May. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 26% of the time across spring, and the air most often feels dry.
Spring is Niigata's 3rd-best season to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Niigata's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 13°C
- 3rd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 9°C
- Precipitation
- 299 mm
- 43 wet days
- Avg wind
- 15 km/h
- Travel score
- 3.5
- 3rd-best season
- Months
- Mar · Apr · May
Temperature in Niigata in Spring
Over the season highs climb from about 7°C in early March to 20°C by late May.
A typical spring day in Niigata reaches about 13°C and drops to 9°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is May, the coolest March.
How spring really feels in Niigata
Once humidity and wind are folded in, spring brings about 0 days that feel above 32°C and 12 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in spring is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.
Niigata weather by month
How the three spring months (March, April and May) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Snow days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6° / 3° | 177 | 26.5 | 10.3 | 9.7 | 0.3 |
| Feb | 6° / 3° | 114 | 21.2 | 8.8 | 10.5 | 0.4 |
| Mar | 9° / 4° | 110 | 18.6 | 2.5 | 11.7 | 1.4 |
| Apr | 13° / 8° | 90 | 12.6 | 0.2 | 13 | 3.5 |
| May | 18° / 13° | 99 | 11.8 | 0 | 14 | 5.6 |
| Jun | 22° / 18° | 123 | 11.2 | 0 | 14.6 | 6.3 |
| Jul | 26° / 23° | 226 | 15.2 | 0 | 14.4 | 5.8 |
| Aug | 28° / 24° | 160 | 12.9 | 0 | 13.5 | 5.7 |
| Sep | 25° / 21° | 146 | 14.2 | 0 | 12.3 | 5.9 |
| Oct | 20° / 16° | 155 | 15.8 | 0 | 11 | 5.4 |
| Nov | 14° / 10° | 164 | 19.7 | 0.2 | 10 | 3.2 |
| Dec | 9° / 5° | 195 | 25.4 | 4.1 | 9.4 | 1.2 |
Cloud cover in Spring
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 26% of the time across spring.
Chance of precipitation in Spring
Niigata gets around 299 mm of rain and snow over 43 wet days across spring. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Spring
Most of spring feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Spring
Winds average 15 km/h across spring.
Sunrise & sunset in Spring
Daylight runs from about 11 h 06 min in early March to 14 h 24 min by late May. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Spring
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across spring, about 4.9 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Niigata
In spring, Niigata overlaps its pacific typhoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Niigata sits in the Pacific typhoon belt; the season peaks July–October.
Is spring a good time to visit Niigata?
Our two travel scores rate spring for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
spring is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Niigata.
What to pack for Niigata in Spring
From spring's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In spring, Niigata sees daytime highs around 13°C and nights near 9°C. Pack a warm layer and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 43 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Niigata in Spring
The nearest coast averages about 12°C across spring — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 16 km away) is warmest in August at about 26°C and coldest in March near 10°C.
It's comfortable for a long swim from Jun 22 to Oct 30 — about 4.3 months when the water holds above 20°C.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 12 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 15 | 19 | 23 | 26 | 25 | 22 | 18 | 15 |
| Comfort | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Cool | Refreshing | Warm | Warm | Refreshing | Cool | Cool |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 12 | Bracing |
| Feb | 10 | Bracing |
| Mar | 10 | Bracing |
| Apr | 11 | Bracing |
| May | 15 | Bracing |
| Jun | 19 | Cool |
| Jul | 23 | Refreshing |
| Aug | 26 | Warm |
| Sep | 25 | Warm |
| Oct | 22 | Refreshing |
| Nov | 18 | Cool |
| Dec | 15 | Cool |
UV index in Niigata in Spring
Clear-sky midday UV across spring averages around 6 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Niigata peaks around August 13 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 2 (low).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 2 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| Level | Low | Moderate | Moderate | High | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | Moderate | Moderate | Low |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2 | Low |
| Feb | 3 | Moderate |
| Mar | 4 | Moderate |
| Apr | 6 | High |
| May | 8 | Very high |
| Jun | 8 | Very high |
| Jul | 9 | Very high |
| Aug | 9 | Very high |
| Sep | 8 | Very high |
| Oct | 5 | Moderate |
| Nov | 3 | Moderate |
| Dec | 2 | Low |
Air quality in Niigata in Spring
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where spring falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Niigata is worst in April — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.2× the cleanest month (October, 7 µg/m³).
Seasonal pattern from CAMS reanalysis, scaled to Niigata's WHO annual average of 10 µg/m³.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 8 | 10 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Level | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8 | Good |
| Feb | 10 | Good |
| Mar | 15 | Moderate |
| Apr | 16 | Moderate |
| May | 14 | Moderate |
| Jun | 11 | Good |
| Jul | 9 | Good |
| Aug | 8 | Good |
| Sep | 7 | Good |
| Oct | 7 | Good |
| Nov | 7 | Good |
| Dec | 7 | Good |
Where is Niigata?
Niigata sits at 37.9°N, 139.0°E, 1 m above sea level, in Japan. The nearest listed city is Kameda-honchō, 8.0 km away.
Topography around Niigata
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Niigata.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Niigata has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 29 m around an average of 3 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 42 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,110 m.
The land around Niigata is covered by artificial surfaces (55%) and water (39%) within 3 km, water (52%) and cropland (24%) within 16 km, and water (45%) and trees (44%) 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 Niigata (37.9226°, 139.0412°, elevation 1 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.