Otaru weather in January

In January, Otaru sees average daytime highs of -3°C and overnight lows near -6°C, with 98 mm of precipitation across 20.8 wet days and about 9.2 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near -3°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 3% of the time in January, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 8 h 54 min at the start of January to 9 h 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Otaru's 12th-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Otaru's year-round climate.

Daytime high
-3°
12th warmest
Overnight low
-6°
1st coldest
Precipitation
98 mm
20.8 wet days
Daylight
9 h 06 min
7:11 AM – 4:19 PM
Cloud cover
77%
12th clearest
Wind
17 km/h
3rd windiest
Solar energy
1.78 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Temperature in January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near -3°C through the month.

A typical January day in Otaru reaches about -3°C in the afternoon and slips back to -6°C overnight — a 3°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between -6°C and 1°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 2°C cooler than December and on par with February.

-10°-5°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
1-2-5
2-2-5
3-2-5
4-2-5
5-2-5
6-2-5
7-2-5
8-2-6
9-2-6
10-3-6
11-3-6
12-3-6
13-3-6
14-3-6
15-3-6
16-3-6
17-3-6
18-3-6
19-3-6
20-3-6
21-3-6
22-3-6
23-3-6
24-3-6
25-3-6
26-3-6
27-3-6
28-3-6
29-3-6
30-3-6
31-3-6

How January really feels in Otaru

Once humidity and wind are folded in, January averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 31 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
31
31 feel bitter (≤ -10°C)

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

Otaru weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 12th-warmest and 7th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan-3° / -6°9820.824.29.20.0
Feb-2° / -6°791820.210.20.0
Mar / -3°761515.411.60.0
Apr / 6611.2513.10.7
May12° / 8411.70.414.43.0
Jun17° / 12°7610.6015.15.1
Jul21° / 17°12712.8014.95.9
Aug23° / 19°16314.2013.86.0
Sep20° / 16°14913.9012.35.6
Oct14° / 11714.90.610.83.5
Nov / 12918.611.29.50.7
Dec-0° / -3°12621.922.58.90.0

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 3% of the time in January, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 15% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 82%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
11684
21684
31684
41684
51684
61684
71684
81783
91783
101783
111783
121882
131882
141882
151981
161981
171981
181981
191981
201981
211981
221981
231882
241882
251882
261882
271783
281783
291783
301684
311684

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitationSnow

Otaru gets around 98 mm of rain and snow over 20.8 wet days in January. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 67% and peaks near 72% on the wettest days, and about 24 days bring snow.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
17280
27280
37180
47180
57180
67080
77080
86979
96879
106879
116879
126779
136778
146778
156778
166678
176678
186678
196677
206577
216577
226577
236677
246677
256677
266676
276676
286676
296676
306676
316676

Humidity in January

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, January 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 (%)
1100
2100
3100
4100
5100
6100
7100
8100
9100
10100
11100
12100
13100
14100
15100
16100
17100
18100
19100
20100
21100
22100
23100
24100
25100
26100
27100
28100
29100
30100
31100

Wind in January

Winds average 17 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 17 km/h on the calmest days to 19 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
119light breeze
219light breeze
318light breeze
418light breeze
518light breeze
618light breeze
718light breeze
818light breeze
918light breeze
1018light breeze
1118light breeze
1218light breeze
1317light breeze
1417light breeze
1517light breeze
1617light breeze
1717light breeze
1817light breeze
1917light breeze
2017light breeze
2117light breeze
2217light breeze
2317light breeze
2417light breeze
2517light breeze
2617light breeze
2717light breeze
2817light breeze
2917light breeze
3017light breeze
3117light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 8 h 54 min at the start of January to 9 h 36 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 42 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 7:14 AM to 7:01 AM, and sunset from 4:05 PM to 4:38 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
18.97:144:05
28.97:144:06
38.97:144:06
48.97:144:07
58.97:144:08
68.97:144:09
78.97:144:10
89.07:134:11
99.07:134:12
109.07:134:13
119.07:134:14
129.07:134:15
139.17:124:16
149.17:124:17
159.17:124:18
169.17:114:19
179.27:114:21
189.27:104:22
199.27:104:23
209.27:094:24
219.37:094:25
229.37:084:26
239.37:074:28
249.47:074:29
259.47:064:30
269.47:054:31
279.57:044:33
289.57:034:34
299.57:034:35
309.67:024:37
319.67:014:38

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 1.78 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.4 kWh/m² to a high of 5.59 kWh/m² in May across the year — January's 1.78 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.5Dim
21.5Dim
31.6Dim
41.6Dim
51.6Dim
61.6Dim
71.6Dim
81.6Dim
91.6Dim
101.6Dim
111.7Dim
121.7Dim
131.7Dim
141.7Dim
151.7Dim
161.8Dim
171.8Dim
181.8Dim
191.8Dim
201.8Dim
211.9Dim
221.9Dim
231.9Dim
241.9Dim
252.0Dim
262.0Moderate
272.0Moderate
282.1Moderate
292.1Moderate
302.1Moderate
312.2Moderate
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Otaru

In seasonPeak

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

Otaru 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 January a good time to visit Otaru?

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

0.0
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
7th-best month of the year

January is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Otaru.

What to pack for Otaru in January

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

In January, Otaru sees daytime highs around -3°C and nights near -6°C. Pack a warm layer, a heavy coat and rain gear. About 21 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

Sea temperature near Otaru in January

The nearest coast averages about 7°C in January — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

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.

10°20°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan7Bracing
Feb6Bracing
Mar6Bracing
Apr7Bracing
May10Bracing
Jun14Bracing
Jul19Cool
Aug22Refreshing
Sep21Refreshing
Oct17Cool
Nov13Bracing
Dec9Bracing

UV index in Otaru in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 1. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

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.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighHighVery highHighModerateLowAug 18UV 8Dec 22UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar3Moderate
Apr5High
May7Very high
Jun7High
Jul5Moderate
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low

Air quality in Otaru in January

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodApr 1121 µg/m³Dec 169 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb15Moderate
Mar21Moderate
Apr21Moderate
May19Moderate
Jun13Moderate
Jul12Moderate
Aug11Good
Sep10Good
Oct12Good
Nov11Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

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.

3 km
508 m
16 km
1,289 m
80 km
1,867 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
January weather nearby: Yoichi 19 km · Ishikari 29 km · Sapporo 31 km · Kutchan 38 km · Tōbetsu 42 km · Ebetsu 45 km · Niseko 50 km · Kitahiroshima 52 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 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).