Climate and average weather in Otaru
In Otaru, the summers are humid, warm, showery, and partly cloudy and the winters are very cold, snowy, and mostly cloudy.
Over the course of the year, the temperature in Otaru typically varies from -6°C to 23°C, and is rarely below -10°C or above 26°C. August is the hottest month of the year, while January is the coldest.
Based on the travel score, the best time of year to visit Otaru for warm-weather activities is from mid June to late September.
- Hottest
- Aug
- 23°
- Coldest
- Jan
- -6°
- Wettest
- Aug
- 163 mm
- Driest
- Apr
- 66 mm
- Rain / yr
- 1288 mm
- 184 wet days
- Daylight
- 8.8–15.2 h
- shortest–longest
- Elevation
- 30 m
- 43.2°N
- Clearest
- Apr
- 57% cloud
Otaru weather by month, at a glance
The whole year in one picture — sky, rain, humidity, temperature and travel score. Click any band to jump to its full chart.
Each stripe is one measure across the whole year, stacked so a single day reads top to bottom. The sky band runs overcast grey on top down to clear blue at the base — more blue means sunnier — followed by the rainfall curve, the humidity band, a temperature strip that tints each stretch of the year by how warm its average high is, and the travel-score line at the foot. Scan straight down any date to read that day across every measure at once; the score climbs highest around mid June to late September.
Temperature through the year
Daily average highs and lows in Otaru, from 1991–2020 of climate data. The shaded bands show the range most days fall in — 10th to 90th percentile.
The hot season lasts 3.6 months, from June 16 to October 2, with daily high temperatures above 16°C. The hottest month of the year in Otaru is August, with an average high of 23°C and low of 19°C.
The cool season lasts 3.6 months, from December 1 to March 20, with daily high temperatures below 2°C. The coldest month of the year in Otaru is January, with an average low of -6°C and high of -3°C.
Days typically run about 4°C warmer than nights year-round.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high (°C) | -3 | -2 | 2 | 7 | 12 | 17 | 21 | 23 | 20 | 14 | 6 | 0 |
| Avg low (°C) | -6 | -6 | -3 | 1 | 7 | 12 | 17 | 19 | 16 | 9 | 2 | -3 |
| Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | -3 | -6 |
| Feb | -2 | -6 |
| Mar | 2 | -3 |
| Apr | 7 | 1 |
| May | 12 | 7 |
| Jun | 17 | 12 |
| Jul | 21 | 17 |
| Aug | 23 | 19 |
| Sep | 20 | 16 |
| Oct | 14 | 9 |
| Nov | 6 | 2 |
| Dec | 0 | -3 |
How hot and cold Otaru really feels
The felt-temperature range through the year — heat index on the day's high (summer humidity), wind chill on the night's low (winter wind). The dashed lines are the plain thermometer; the gap is how much hotter or colder it really feels.
On the coldest nights, wind chill pulls the feels-like down to about -13°C (around January 28), with roughly 169 freezing days a year (feels-like at or below 0°C) — 78 of them bitterly cold — worst in January.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feels-like high (°C) | -3 | -2 | 2 | 7 | 12 | 17 | 21 | 23 | 20 | 14 | 6 | 0 |
| Air high (°C) | -3 | -2 | 2 | 7 | 12 | 17 | 21 | 23 | 20 | 14 | 6 | 0 |
| Feels-like low (°C) | -12 | -12 | -8 | -2 | 5 | 12 | 17 | 19 | 16 | 8 | -2 | -9 |
| Air low (°C) | -6 | -6 | -3 | 1 | 7 | 12 | 17 | 19 | 16 | 9 | 2 | -3 |
| Feels-like high (°C) | Air high (°C) | Feels-like low (°C) | Air low (°C) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -3 | -3 | -12 | -6 |
| Feb | -2 | -2 | -12 | -6 |
| Mar | 2 | 2 | -8 | -3 |
| Apr | 7 | 7 | -2 | 1 |
| May | 12 | 12 | 5 | 7 |
| Jun | 17 | 17 | 12 | 12 |
| Jul | 21 | 21 | 17 | 17 |
| Aug | 23 | 23 | 19 | 19 |
| Sep | 20 | 20 | 16 | 16 |
| Oct | 14 | 14 | 8 | 9 |
| Nov | 6 | 6 | -2 | 2 |
| Dec | 0 | 0 | -9 | -3 |
Average hourly temperature in Otaru
A compact picture of the whole year, hour by hour: each column is a day, each row an hour, and the color is the modeled average temperature. Darker overlays mark night, lighter ones the civil-twilight hours around sunrise and sunset.
Read left to right for the day of the year and top to bottom for the hour of the day; the color is the modeled temperature, cool blues through to hot reds on the same scale as the other charts. A vertical slice is a single day's swing — coolest just before dawn, warmest in the mid-afternoon — while a horizontal slice follows one hour across the seasons. The darker overlay marks night and the lighter one the twilight around sunrise and sunset. Colors run warmest on August afternoons, near 23°C, and coldest before dawn in January, near -6°C.
Otaru weather by month
Every month at a glance. Click a month for its detailed page.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Snow days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -3° / -6° | 98 | 20.8 | 24.2 | 9.2 | 0.0 |
| Feb | -2° / -6° | 79 | 18 | 20.2 | 10.2 | 0.0 |
| Mar | 2° / -3° | 76 | 15 | 15.4 | 11.6 | 0.0 |
| Apr | 7° / 1° | 66 | 11.2 | 5 | 13.1 | 0.7 |
| May | 12° / 7° | 84 | 11.7 | 0.4 | 14.4 | 3.0 |
| Jun | 17° / 12° | 76 | 10.6 | 0 | 15.1 | 5.1 |
| Jul | 21° / 17° | 127 | 12.8 | 0 | 14.9 | 5.9 |
| Aug | 23° / 19° | 163 | 14.2 | 0 | 13.8 | 6.0 |
| Sep | 20° / 16° | 149 | 13.9 | 0 | 12.3 | 5.6 |
| Oct | 14° / 9° | 117 | 14.9 | 0.6 | 10.8 | 3.5 |
| Nov | 6° / 2° | 129 | 18.6 | 11.2 | 9.5 | 0.7 |
| Dec | -0° / -3° | 126 | 21.9 | 22.5 | 8.9 | 0.0 |
Chance of rain
How likely it is to rain on a typical day, and how that shifts across the wetter and drier seasons.
Otaru gets about 1288 mm of precipitation a year. On a typical day the chance of rain is very wet, but that rises and falls sharply with the seasons.
The wetter season lasts 4.3 months, from around Oct 30 to Mar 8, peaking in December at about 71% chance on a given day. The drier stretch runs the rest of the year, bottoming out around Jun 24.
August is the wettest month by volume, with 163 mm over about 14 wet days; April is the driest, with 66 mm. Some of the cold-season precipitation falls as snow.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain on a day (%) | 67 | 64 | 48 | 38 | 38 | 36 | 40 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 61 | 70 |
| Rain days | 21 | 18 | 15 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 19 | 22 |
| Rain on a day (%) | Rain days | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 67 | 21 |
| Feb | 64 | 18 |
| Mar | 48 | 15 |
| Apr | 38 | 11 |
| May | 38 | 12 |
| Jun | 36 | 11 |
| Jul | 40 | 13 |
| Aug | 46 | 14 |
| Sep | 47 | 14 |
| Oct | 48 | 15 |
| Nov | 61 | 19 |
| Dec | 70 | 22 |
Monthly rainfall
Over a full year, Otaru collects about 1288 mm of rain across 184 wet days — roughly 107 mm in an average month.
It doesn’t fall evenly. August is the wettest month with 163 mm, while April is the driest at just 66 mm. The three wettest months alone bring about 34% of the year’s total, and some of the cold-season precipitation falls as snow.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rainfall (mm) | 98 | 79 | 76 | 66 | 84 | 76 | 127 | 163 | 149 | 117 | 129 | 126 |
| Rain days | 21 | 18 | 15 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 19 | 22 |
| Snow days | 24 | 20 | 15 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 23 |
| Rainfall (mm) | Rain days | Snow days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 98 | 21 | 24 |
| Feb | 79 | 18 | 20 |
| Mar | 76 | 15 | 15 |
| Apr | 66 | 11 | 5 |
| May | 84 | 12 | 0 |
| Jun | 76 | 11 | 0 |
| Jul | 127 | 13 | 0 |
| Aug | 163 | 14 | 0 |
| Sep | 149 | 14 | 0 |
| Oct | 117 | 15 | 1 |
| Nov | 129 | 19 | 11 |
| Dec | 126 | 22 | 23 |
Snow in Otaru
Average snowy days through the year, the snow-season span, and estimated snowfall — for ski trips and the perennial 'will there be snow at Christmas?' question.
Otaru averages about 100 snowy days a year. Snow season runs roughly Oct 16 to May 12 — about 6.9 months.
January is snowiest, with roughly 24 days of snow and an estimated 105 cm of snowfall. Over the year that adds up to an estimated 467 cm of snow.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snow days | 24 | 20 | 15 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 23 |
| Snowfall (cm) | 105 | 99 | 62 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 60 | 117 |
| Snow days | Snowfall (cm) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 24 | 105 |
| Feb | 20 | 99 |
| Mar | 15 | 62 |
| Apr | 5 | 20 |
| May | 0 | 1 |
| Jun | 0 | 0 |
| Jul | 0 | 0 |
| Aug | 0 | 0 |
| Sep | 0 | 0 |
| Oct | 1 | 2 |
| Nov | 11 | 60 |
| Dec | 23 | 117 |
Clouds and sunshine
How often the daytime sky is clear, partly cloudy or overcast.
In Otaru, the average share of the sky covered by clouds shows significant seasonal variation over the course of the year.
The clearer part of the year begins around July 31 and lasts for 3.4 months, ending around November 9. The clearest month is October, when the sky is clear, mostly clear, or partly cloudy 50% of the time on average.
The cloudier part of the year begins around November 10 and lasts for 4.1 months, ending around March 13. The cloudiest month is January, when it is overcast or mostly cloudy 82% of the time.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearer (%) | 18 | 22 | 39 | 49 | 43 | 38 | 34 | 38 | 44 | 50 | 33 | 21 |
| Cloudier (%) | 82 | 78 | 61 | 51 | 57 | 62 | 66 | 62 | 56 | 50 | 67 | 79 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 18 | 82 |
| Feb | 22 | 78 |
| Mar | 39 | 61 |
| Apr | 49 | 51 |
| May | 43 | 57 |
| Jun | 38 | 62 |
| Jul | 34 | 66 |
| Aug | 38 | 62 |
| Sep | 44 | 56 |
| Oct | 50 | 50 |
| Nov | 33 | 67 |
| Dec | 21 | 79 |
Daylight, sunrise and sunset
Hours of daylight through the year, with sunrise and sunset times.
The gold band is daylight — sunrise runs along its lower edge, sunset along the upper — so it widens toward summer and pinches toward winter, with night the dark area above and below. The longest day, around June 13, brings about 15 h 12 min of light; the shortest, around December 13, only 8 h 48 min — a swing of roughly 6 h 24 min.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.2 | 10.2 | 11.6 | 13.1 | 14.4 | 15.1 | 14.9 | 13.8 | 12.3 | 10.8 | 9.5 | 8.9 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 7:11 | 6:43 | 5:57 | 5:01 | 4:18 | 4:01 | 4:15 | 4:47 | 5:22 | 5:57 | 6:37 | 7:08 |
| Sunset (PM) | 4:19 | 4:58 | 5:35 | 6:12 | 6:46 | 7:12 | 7:09 | 6:34 | 5:39 | 4:45 | 4:05 | 3:57 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 9.2 | 7:11 | 4:19 |
| Feb | 10.2 | 6:43 | 4:58 |
| Mar | 11.6 | 5:57 | 5:35 |
| Apr | 13.1 | 5:01 | 6:12 |
| May | 14.4 | 4:18 | 6:46 |
| Jun | 15.1 | 4:01 | 7:12 |
| Jul | 14.9 | 4:15 | 7:09 |
| Aug | 13.8 | 4:47 | 6:34 |
| Sep | 12.3 | 5:22 | 5:39 |
| Oct | 10.8 | 5:57 | 4:45 |
| Nov | 9.5 | 6:37 | 4:05 |
| Dec | 8.9 | 7:08 | 3:57 |
Sunny days
How many genuinely sunny days each month brings — days the sky stays clear or mostly clear — banded into plain-language zones.
Otaru averages about 6 sunny days a month — counting the days the sky stays clear or mostly clear — with a clear seasonal swing between 1 and 10 days.
The sunnier stretch runs 3.7 months, from around Mar 19 to Jul 9. The sunniest month is April, with roughly 10 sunny days (mixed).
The greyest month is January, down near 1 sunny days — about 91% fewer than the April peak.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunny days | 1 | 2 | 6 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 4 | 1 |
| Sky | Gloomy | Gloomy | Gloomy | Mixed | Mixed | Gloomy | Gloomy | Gloomy | Mixed | Mixed | Gloomy | Gloomy |
| Sunny days | Sky | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 1 | Gloomy |
| Feb | 2 | Gloomy |
| Mar | 6 | Gloomy |
| Apr | 10 | Mixed |
| May | 9 | Mixed |
| Jun | 7 | Gloomy |
| Jul | 6 | Gloomy |
| Aug | 7 | Gloomy |
| Sep | 8 | Mixed |
| Oct | 9 | Mixed |
| Nov | 4 | Gloomy |
| Dec | 1 | Gloomy |
Humidity comfort
Share of days at each humidity comfort level, based on the dew point — the measure that tracks how muggy it actually feels.
Humidity comfort is graded by the dew point — the temperature at which the air would be fully saturated — because it tracks how muggy it actually feels far better than relative humidity does. A low dew point feels dry and crisp; a high one feels sticky and oppressive no matter the reading on a humidity gauge.
In Otaru, how humid it feels changes dramatically over the year.
The more humid part of the year lasts 2.8 months, from around June 28 to September 21. The muggiest month is August, when the air feels humid, muggy or worse about 81% of the time.
The most comfortable stretch runs from around September 22 to June 27, and May is the most comfortable month — the air is dry or comfortable 100% of the time.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry (%) | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 69 | 10 | 3 | 38 | 92 | 100 | 100 |
| Comfortable (%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 29 | 16 | 32 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Humid (%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 39 | 35 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Muggy (%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 37 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oppressive (%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dry (%) | Comfortable (%) | Humid (%) | Muggy (%) | Oppressive (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| May | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun | 69 | 26 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul | 10 | 29 | 39 | 21 | 2 |
| Aug | 3 | 16 | 35 | 37 | 9 |
| Sep | 38 | 32 | 20 | 9 | 1 |
| Oct | 92 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Wind
Average wind speed through the year, banded into plain-language speed zones so a number reads as 'breezy' or 'calm' without knowing the scale.
This is the average sustained wind speed at the standard 10 metres above open ground — the steady flow a weather station reports, not the sharper gusts that come and go, which can run half again as fast. It's the number that says whether a place is generally breezy or calm.
Across the year, average wind speed in Otaru is typically light breeze, near 14 km/h, and varies a lot with the seasons.
The windier part of the year lasts 6.0 months, from around Oct 1 to Apr 1. The windiest month is December, averaging about 19 km/h (light breeze).
The calmer part of the year runs from around Apr 2 to Sep 30, with July the calmest month at about 9 km/h.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind speed (km/h) | 17 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 16 | 18 | 19 |
| Feels | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | calm | calm | calm | calm | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze |
| Wind speed (km/h) | Feels | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 17 | light breeze |
| Feb | 17 | light breeze |
| Mar | 15 | light breeze |
| Apr | 13 | light breeze |
| May | 12 | calm |
| Jun | 10 | calm |
| Jul | 9 | calm |
| Aug | 10 | calm |
| Sep | 12 | light breeze |
| Oct | 16 | light breeze |
| Nov | 18 | light breeze |
| Dec | 19 | light breeze |
Hazard calendar for Otaru
When the seasonal hazards worth planning around — the rainy season, tropical-cyclone risk and dust haze — are active through the year.
Otaru sits in the Pacific typhoon belt; the season peaks July–October.
Best time to visit Otaru
To characterize how pleasant the weather is in Otaru throughout the year, we compute two travel scores — one for general sightseeing, one for beach and pool weather.
Around late September, Otaru is still near the tail of its best-weather window — great conditions with the peak-season crowds already thinning.
Inferred from the travel-score curve; month-by-month visitor numbers are a planned addition.
The travel score favors clear, rainless days with daytime highs between 18°C and 28°C. Based on this score, the best time of year to visit Otaru for general outdoor tourist activities is from mid June to late September, with a peak score in the last week of July.
The travel score (filled area), and its constituents: the temperature score (red line), the cloud cover score (blue line), and the precipitation score (green line).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travel score (0–10) | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 3.0 | 5.0 | 5.9 | 6.0 | 5.5 | 3.5 | 0.7 | 0.0 |
| Rating | poor | poor | poor | poor | poor | fair | good | good | good | poor | poor | poor |
| Travel score (0–10) | Rating | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 0.0 | poor |
| Feb | 0.0 | poor |
| Mar | 0.0 | poor |
| Apr | 0.8 | poor |
| May | 3.0 | poor |
| Jun | 5.0 | fair |
| Jul | 5.9 | good |
| Aug | 6.0 | good |
| Sep | 5.5 | good |
| Oct | 3.5 | poor |
| Nov | 0.7 | poor |
| Dec | 0.0 | poor |
The beach/pool score favors clear, rainless days with daytime highs between 24°C and 34°C. Based on this score, the best time of year to visit Otaru for hot-weather activities is from late July to early September, with a peak score in the first week of August.
The beach/pool score (filled area), and its constituents: the temperature score (red line), the cloud cover score (blue line), and the precipitation score (green line).
What to pack for Otaru, by month
Month by month, what's worth putting in the bag — from the temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind. Tap a month for a quick packing note.
For a warm-season trip around August (highs near 23°C), the essentials are light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. In the cold season around January (highs near -3°C), pack a warm layer, a heavy coat and rain gear.
In August, Otaru sees daytime highs around 23°C and nights near 19°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: light clothes and sun protection. About 14 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Otaru
Average ocean temperature at the nearest coast, month by month, banded into swim-comfort zones — the other half of the beach question.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 23 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 31 to Sep 22 — about 1.8 months when the water holds above 20°C.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 7 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 14 | 19 | 22 | 21 | 17 | 13 | 9 |
| Comfort | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Cool | Refreshing | Refreshing | Cool | Bracing | Bracing |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 7 | Bracing |
| Feb | 6 | Bracing |
| Mar | 6 | Bracing |
| Apr | 7 | Bracing |
| May | 10 | Bracing |
| Jun | 14 | Bracing |
| Jul | 19 | Cool |
| Aug | 22 | Refreshing |
| Sep | 21 | Refreshing |
| Oct | 17 | Cool |
| Nov | 13 | Bracing |
| Dec | 9 | Bracing |
UV index (midday) in Otaru by month
Clear-sky midday UV index through the year, shaded by the WHO exposure levels — how much sun protection each month calls for.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Otaru peaks around August 18 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 1 (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) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Level | Low | Moderate | Moderate | High | Very high | High | Moderate | Very high | High | Moderate | Low | Low |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 1 | Low |
| Feb | 2 | Moderate |
| Mar | 3 | Moderate |
| Apr | 5 | High |
| May | 7 | Very high |
| Jun | 7 | High |
| Jul | 5 | Moderate |
| Aug | 8 | Very high |
| Sep | 6 | High |
| Oct | 4 | Moderate |
| Nov | 2 | Low |
| Dec | 1 | Low |
Average hourly UV index in Otaru
Modeled clear-sky UV for every hour of every day — when in the day sun protection actually matters.
The whole year hour by hour: each column is a day, each row an hour, and the color is the modeled clear-sky UV index — the midday peak scaled down as the sun sits lower in the sky. Darker overlays mark night, lighter ones the civil-twilight hours around sunrise and sunset.
UV falls off far faster than brightness as the sun drops, so even in August the burn window is concentrated in the middle of the day: about 7.5 hours a day reach index 3 (protection recommended), and 4.5 hours reach 6 or more. Mornings and late afternoons stay comparatively gentle year round.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV ≥ 3 (h/day) | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 6.5 | 7.5 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| UV ≥ 6 (h/day) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2.5 | 0 | 4.5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UV ≥ 3 (h/day) | UV ≥ 6 (h/day) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 0 | 0 |
| Feb | 0 | 0 |
| Mar | 2 | 0 |
| Apr | 6 | 0 |
| May | 7.5 | 4 |
| Jun | 7.5 | 2.5 |
| Jul | 6.5 | 0 |
| Aug | 7.5 | 4.5 |
| Sep | 6 | 1 |
| Oct | 3 | 0 |
| Nov | 0 | 0 |
| Dec | 0 | 0 |
Air quality in Otaru by month
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see which months the air is worst, not just the yearly average.
Air quality in Otaru is worst in April — around 21 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.3× the cleanest month (December, 9 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) | 11 | 15 | 21 | 21 | 19 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 9 |
| Level | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 11 | Good |
| Feb | 15 | Moderate |
| Mar | 21 | Moderate |
| Apr | 21 | Moderate |
| May | 19 | Moderate |
| Jun | 13 | Moderate |
| Jul | 12 | Moderate |
| Aug | 11 | Good |
| Sep | 10 | Good |
| Oct | 12 | Good |
| Nov | 11 | Good |
| Dec | 9 | Good |
Growing season
The growing season in Otaru typically lasts about 233 days, from around April 7 to November 25 — the span where a frost-free day is more likely than not. It is reliably frost-free from April 25 to November 9.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frost-free chance (%) | 1 | 1 | 14 | 71 | 99 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 74 | 12 |
| Frost nights | 31 | 28 | 31 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 31 |
| Frost-free chance (%) | Frost nights | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 1 | 31 |
| Feb | 1 | 28 |
| Mar | 14 | 31 |
| Apr | 71 | 23 |
| May | 99 | 0 |
| Jun | 100 | 0 |
| Jul | 100 | 0 |
| Aug | 100 | 0 |
| Sep | 100 | 0 |
| Oct | 100 | 0 |
| Nov | 74 | 21 |
| Dec | 12 | 31 |
Growing degree days
Growing degree days tally heat above 10°C: each day adds however many degrees its average temperature runs over that threshold, and cold days add nothing. Otaru banks about 1,033 degree days a year, and the running total — which growers use to time plantings and predict maturity — climbs fastest around August.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Growing degree days (°C·days) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 128 | 272 | 335 | 229 | 54 | 0 | 0 |
| Growing degree days (°C·days) | |
|---|---|
| Jan | 0 |
| Feb | 0 |
| Mar | 0 |
| Apr | 0 |
| May | 15 |
| Jun | 128 |
| Jul | 272 |
| Aug | 335 |
| Sep | 229 |
| Oct | 54 |
| Nov | 0 |
| Dec | 0 |
Solar energy
Average daily shortwave solar energy reaching the ground, banded into brightness zones so the number means something at a glance.
Solar energy is how much sunlight actually reaches the ground each day, measured in kilowatt-hours per square metre (kWh/m²) — the combined effect of how long the sun is up, how high it climbs, and how much cloud gets in the way. It's the raw fuel a solar panel has to work with: for scale, 1 kWh/m² a day is dim and wintry, while 7+ is desert-bright.
Otaru receives about 3.7 kWh/m² a day of solar energy on average — moderate — with a clear seasonal swing between 1.4 and 5.7 kWh/m².
The brighter stretch of the year lasts 6.4 months, from around Mar 7 to Sep 18. The brightest month is May, averaging about 5.6 kWh/m² (bright).
The dimmest month is December, down near 1.4 kWh/m² — roughly 74% less than the May peak.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | 1.8 | 2.8 | 4.2 | 5.3 | 5.6 | 5.5 | 5.1 | 4.5 | 3.8 | 2.9 | 1.8 | 1.4 |
| Level | Dim | Moderate | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Moderate | Moderate | Dim | Dim |
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 1.8 | Dim |
| Feb | 2.8 | Moderate |
| Mar | 4.2 | Bright |
| Apr | 5.3 | Bright |
| May | 5.6 | Bright |
| Jun | 5.5 | Bright |
| Jul | 5.1 | Bright |
| Aug | 4.5 | Bright |
| Sep | 3.8 | Moderate |
| Oct | 2.9 | Moderate |
| Nov | 1.8 | Dim |
| Dec | 1.4 | Dim |
Where is Otaru?
Otaru sits at 43.2°N, 141.0°E, 30 m above sea level, in Japan. The nearest listed city is Yoichi, 19 km away.
Topography around Otaru
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Otaru.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Otaru has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 508 m around an average of 83 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,289 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,867 m.
The land around Otaru is covered by trees (44%), artificial surfaces (32%) and water (23%) within 3 km, water (49%) and trees (46%) within 16 km, and trees (48%) and water (37%) 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 Otaru (43.1894°, 141.0022°, elevation 30 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).