Niseko weather in May

In May, Niseko sees average daytime highs of 15°C and overnight lows near 6°C, with 94 mm of precipitation across 12.6 wet days and about 14.4 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 5th-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 28% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 48 min at the start of May to 14 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Niseko's 3rd-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Niseko's year-round climate.

Daytime high
15°
5th warmest
Overnight low
8th coldest
Precipitation
94 mm
12.6 wet days
Daylight
14 h 24 min
4:20 AM – 6:47 PM
Cloud cover
65%
3rd clearest
Wind
8 km/h
8th windiest
Solar energy
5.48 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.3
out of 10

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 Niseko reaches about 15°C in the afternoon and slips back to 6°C overnight — a 9°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 11°C and 20°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 6°C warmer than April and about 4°C cooler than June.

10°15°20°25°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
1134
2134
3134
4134
5134
6145
7145
8145
9145
10145
11146
12146
13156
14156
15156
16156
17157
18157
19167
20167
21167
22168
23168
24168
25178
26178
27178
28179
29179
30179
31179

How May really feels in Niseko

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

May sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Niseko weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan-3° / -10°5812.618.59.20.0
Feb-2° / -9°5110.415.610.30.0
Mar / -6°7113.213.911.60.0
Apr / 7511.95.213.11.7
May15° / 9412.60.314.44.3
Jun19° / 11°7710.6015.15.8
Jul23° / 16°13613.9014.86.0
Aug24° / 17°18213.8013.76.1
Sep20° / 12°14113.9012.35.6
Oct14° / 9913.70.610.83.7
Nov / -1°9214.810.19.60.6
Dec-1° / -7°7614.518.88.90.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 28% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 14% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 58%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14456
24456
34357
44258
54258
64159
74060
84060
94159
104060
114060
124159
134060
144060
154159
164159
174159
184258
194258
204258
214258
224357
234357
244357
254357
264456
274456
284456
294456
304357
314357

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitationSnow

Niseko gets around 94 mm of rain and snow over 12.6 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 41% and peaks near 43% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1416
2415
3425
4424
5424
6423
7433
8432
9432
10432
11432
12431
13431
14421
15421
16411
17411
18401
19401
20401
21390
22390
23390
24380
25380
26380
27380
28380
29380
30380
31380

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
181000
191000
201000
21991
22991
23991
24991
25982
26982
27982
28973
29973
30973
31964

Wind in May

Winds average 8 km/h in May.

Across May, 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
18calm
28calm
38calm
48calm
58calm
68calm
78calm
88calm
98calm
108calm
118calm
128calm
138calm
148calm
158calm
168calm
178calm
188calm
198calm
207calm
217calm
227calm
237calm
247calm
257calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 48 min at the start of May to 14 h 54 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 66 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 4:39 AM to 4:08 AM, and sunset from 6:30 PM to 7:01 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.84:396:30
213.94:386:31
313.94:366:32
414.04:356:33
514.04:336:34
614.14:326:36
714.14:316:37
814.14:306:38
914.24:286:39
1014.24:276:40
1114.34:266:41
1214.34:256:42
1314.34:246:43
1414.44:226:45
1514.44:216:46
1614.44:206:47
1714.54:196:48
1814.54:186:49
1914.54:176:50
2014.64:166:51
2114.64:156:52
2214.64:156:53
2314.74:146:54
2414.74:136:55
2514.74:126:56
2614.84:116:57
2714.84:116:58
2814.84:106:59
2914.84:096:59
3014.94:097:00
3114.94:087:01

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.48 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.68 kWh/m² to a high of 5.48 kWh/m² in May across the year — May's 5.48 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.5Bright
25.5Bright
35.5Bright
45.5Bright
55.5Bright
65.5Bright
75.5Bright
85.5Bright
95.4Bright
105.4Bright
115.4Bright
125.4Bright
135.4Bright
145.4Bright
155.4Bright
165.4Bright
175.4Bright
185.5Bright
195.5Bright
205.5Bright
215.5Bright
225.5Bright
235.5Bright
245.6Bright
255.6Bright
265.6Bright
275.6Bright
285.6Bright
295.6Bright
305.7Bright
315.7Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Niseko

In seasonPeak

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

Niseko 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 Niseko?

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

4.3
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
0.4
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Niseko for sightseeing.

What to pack for Niseko in May

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

In May, Niseko sees daytime highs around 15°C and nights near 6°C. Worth packing: a warm layer, rain gear and sun protection. About 13 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Niseko in May

The nearest coast averages about 11°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 26 km away) is warmest in August at about 22°C and coldest in February near 6°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 29 to Sep 25 — about 1.9 months when the water holds above 20°C.

5°10°15°20°25°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan8Bracing
Feb6Bracing
Mar6Bracing
Apr8Bracing
May11Bracing
Jun15Bracing
Jul19Cool
Aug22Refreshing
Sep21Refreshing
Oct17Cool
Nov13Bracing
Dec10Bracing

UV index in Niseko in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 8 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Niseko peaks around August 18 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 20 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 highHighVery highHighModerateLowAug 18UV 8Dec 20UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar3Moderate
Apr5High
May8Very high
Jun7High
Jul5Moderate
Aug9Very high
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low

Air quality in Niseko 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 Niseko is worst in April — around 20 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.5× the cleanest month (December, 8 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodApr 1219 µg/m³Dec 158 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb14Moderate
Mar19Moderate
Apr20Moderate
May18Moderate
Jun12Moderate
Jul11Good
Aug10Good
Sep9Good
Oct11Good
Nov9Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Niseko?

Niseko sits at 42.8°N, 140.7°E, 0 m above sea level, in Japan. The nearest listed city is Kutchan, 11 km away.

Topography around Niseko

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Niseko has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 199 m around an average of 161 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,881 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,867 m.

The land around Niseko is covered by trees (56%) and cropland (31%) within 3 km, trees (80%) within 16 km, and water (47%) and trees (44%) within 80 km.

3 km
199 m
16 km
1,881 m
80 km
1,867 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
May weather nearby: Kutchan 11 km · Date 41 km · Yoichi 44 km · Otaru 50 km · Noboribetsu 57 km · Muroran 60 km · Sapporo 61 km · Shiraoi 61 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 Niseko (42.8089°, 140.686°, elevation 0 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).