Sarubetsu weather in December

In December, Sarubetsu sees average daytime highs of 1°C and overnight lows near -9°C, with 76 mm of precipitation across 8 wet days and about 8.9 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 3°C in the first days to -1°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 57% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 06 min at the start of December to 8 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Sarubetsu's 1st-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Sarubetsu's year-round climate.

Daytime high
10th warmest
Overnight low
-9°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
76 mm
8 wet days
Daylight
8 h 54 min
6:57 AM – 3:48 PM
Cloud cover
42%
1st clearest
Wind
9 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
1.93 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 3°C in the first days to -1°C by the end.

A typical December day in Sarubetsu reaches about 1°C in the afternoon and slips back to -9°C overnight — a 9°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between -3°C and 5°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 7°C cooler than November and about 3°C warmer than January.

-20°-10°10°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
14-5
24-5
33-5
43-6
53-6
63-6
72-7
82-7
92-7
102-8
111-8
121-8
131-8
141-9
151-9
160-9
170-9
180-9
190-10
200-10
210-10
220-10
230-10
24-1-10
25-1-10
26-1-11
27-1-11
28-1-11
29-1-11
30-1-11
31-1-11

How December really feels in Sarubetsu

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December 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
27 feel bitter (≤ -10°C)

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

Sarubetsu 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-2° / -13°616.77.19.20.0
Feb-1° / -12°487.27.710.20.0
Mar / -6°779.78.211.60.1
Apr11° / 8810.84.113.12.6
May16° / 10010.80.414.45.0
Jun19° / 11°899.8015.15.9
Jul22° / 15°11411.3014.86.2
Aug24° / 17°15913.1013.86.2
Sep21° / 12°17112.5012.35.9
Oct15° / 11510.20.110.84.7
Nov / -1°819.42.29.51.5
Dec / -9°7686.68.90.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 57% of the time in December, the clearest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 15% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 29%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16733
26733
36733
46832
56832
66832
76931
87030
97030
107030
117129
127228
137228
147327
157327
167228
177228
187327
197327
207327
217327
227327
237327
247327
257327
267228
277228
287228
297327
307228
317228

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Sarubetsu gets around 76 mm of rain and snow over 8 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 26% and peaks near 29% on the wettest days, and about 7 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
12916
22916
32817
42818
52818
62819
72719
82720
92720
102721
112721
122721
132721
142721
152721
162622
172622
182622
192622
202622
212522
222522
232522
242522
252423
262423
272423
282322
292322
302222
312222

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 (%)
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 December

Winds average 9 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 9 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
19calm
29calm
39calm
49calm
59calm
69calm
79calm
89calm
99calm
109calm
119calm
129calm
139calm
149calm
159calm
169calm
179calm
189calm
199calm
209calm
219calm
229calm
239calm
249calm
259calm
269calm
279calm
289calm
299calm
309calm
319calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 06 min at the start of December to 8 h 54 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 6:44 AM to 7:03 AM, and sunset from 3:49 PM to 3:56 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.16:443:49
29.16:453:48
39.06:463:48
49.06:473:48
59.06:483:48
69.06:493:48
79.06:503:48
88.96:513:48
98.96:523:48
108.96:533:48
118.96:533:48
128.96:543:48
138.96:553:48
148.96:563:48
158.96:563:48
168.96:573:48
178.86:583:49
188.86:583:49
198.86:593:49
208.87:003:50
218.87:003:50
228.87:013:51
238.87:013:51
248.87:013:52
258.87:023:52
268.87:023:53
278.87:023:53
288.97:033:54
298.97:033:55
308.97:033:55
318.97:033:56

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.93 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.93 kWh/m² to a high of 5.16 kWh/m² in May across the year — December's 1.93 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.0Dim
21.9Dim
31.9Dim
41.9Dim
51.9Dim
61.9Dim
71.9Dim
81.9Dim
91.9Dim
101.9Dim
111.9Dim
121.9Dim
131.9Dim
141.9Dim
151.9Dim
161.9Dim
171.9Dim
181.9Dim
192.0Dim
202.0Dim
212.0Dim
222.0Dim
232.0Moderate
242.0Moderate
252.0Moderate
262.0Moderate
272.1Moderate
282.1Moderate
292.1Moderate
302.1Moderate
312.1Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Sarubetsu

In seasonPeak

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

Sarubetsu 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 December a good time to visit Sarubetsu?

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

0.0
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Sarubetsu.

What to pack for Sarubetsu in December

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

In December, Sarubetsu sees daytime highs around 1°C and nights near -9°C. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 8 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

Sea temperature near Sarubetsu in December

The nearest coast averages about 7°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 36 km away) is warmest in August at about 18°C and coldest in February near 1°C.

The water stays below 20°C all year — cool enough that most swimmers want a wetsuit.

0°10°20°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshing
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan3Bracing
Feb1Bracing
Mar1Bracing
Apr3Bracing
May6Bracing
Jun11Bracing
Jul15Cool
Aug18Cool
Sep17Cool
Oct14Bracing
Nov10Bracing
Dec7Bracing

UV index in Sarubetsu in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

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

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Sarubetsu 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
May7Very high
Jun7Very high
Jul5Moderate
Aug9Very high
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low

Air quality in Sarubetsu 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 Sarubetsu is worst in April — around 15 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.5× the cleanest month (December, 6 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodApr 1315 µg/m³Dec 176 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb10Good
Mar14Moderate
Apr15Moderate
May13Moderate
Jun9Good
Jul9Good
Aug8Good
Sep7Good
Oct8Good
Nov7Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Sarubetsu?

Sarubetsu sits at 42.9°N, 143.3°E, 25 m above sea level, in Japan. The nearest listed city is Obihiro, 12 km away.

Topography around Sarubetsu

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Sarubetsu has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 155 m around an average of 86 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 333 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,032 m.

The land around Sarubetsu is covered by cropland (52%) and trees (40%) within 3 km, trees (43%) and cropland (42%) within 16 km, and trees (65%) within 80 km.

3 km
155 m
16 km
333 m
80 km
2,032 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: Obihiro 12 km · Otofuke 17 km · Memuro-minami 25 km · Kushiro 85 km · Furano 94 km · Shimo-furano 94 km · Shizunai-furukawachō 99 km · Kitami 113 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 Sarubetsu (42.8724°, 143.3376°, elevation 25 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).