Shibata weather in December

In December, Shibata sees average daytime highs of 7°C and overnight lows near 3°C, with 233 mm of precipitation across 25 wet days and about 9.4 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 10°C in the first days to 6°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 6% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 36 min at the start of December to 9 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Shibata's 11th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Shibata's year-round climate.

Daytime high
10th warmest
Overnight low
4th coldest
Precipitation
233 mm
25 wet days
Daylight
9 h 24 min
6:57 AM – 4:20 PM
Cloud cover
75%
11th clearest
Wind
14 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
1.67 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.7
out of 10

Shibata is city in Niigata Prefecture, Japan.

Density
181/km²
people per km²
Founded
1947

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 10°C in the first days to 6°C by the end.

A typical December day in Shibata reaches about 7°C in the afternoon and slips back to 3°C overnight — a 5°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 3°C and 11°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 6°C cooler than November and about 3°C warmer than January.

-5°10°15°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
1105
2105
3104
494
594
694
794
894
983
1083
1183
1283
1383
1473
1573
1673
1772
1872
1972
2072
2172
2262
2362
2462
2562
2662
2762
2862
2962
3061
3151

How December really feels in Shibata

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 22 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
22
wind chill below the day's low

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

Shibata weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / 21726.720.49.70.0
Feb / 14821.516.410.50.1
Mar / 14520.49.211.71.2
Apr14° / 11514.71.1133.8
May20° / 13°12313.20145.8
Jun24° / 17°15513.5014.66.1
Jul27° / 22°27418.1014.45.0
Aug29° / 23°19415.6013.54.8
Sep25° / 19°16015012.35.7
Oct19° / 13°17016.10115.3
Nov13° / 19119.71.29.92.9
Dec / 2332512.19.40.7

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 6% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 16% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 78%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12674
22575
32575
42575
52278
62278
72179
82179
92179
102179
112080
122080
132080
142080
152080
162179
172179
182179
192278
202278
212377
222377
232278
242278
252278
262377
272278
282179
292179
302080
312080

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Shibata gets around 233 mm of rain and snow over 25 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 81% and peaks near 84% on the wettest days, and about 12 days bring snow. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
17417
27518
37620
47622
57724
67826
77928
88030
98031
108133
118235
128236
138237
148238
158239
168240
178240
188241
198242
208243
218244
228245
238246
248247
258248
268250
278351
288352
298353
308455
318456

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 14 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 13 km/h on the calmest days to 15 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
113light breeze
213light breeze
313light breeze
413light breeze
513light breeze
613light breeze
713light breeze
813light breeze
913light breeze
1013light breeze
1113light breeze
1214light breeze
1314light breeze
1414light breeze
1514light breeze
1614light breeze
1714light breeze
1814light breeze
1914light breeze
2014light breeze
2114light breeze
2214light breeze
2314light breeze
2415light breeze
2515light breeze
2615light breeze
2715light breeze
2815light breeze
2915light breeze
3015light breeze
3115light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 36 min at the start of December to 9 h 24 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 6:46 AM to 7:04 AM, and sunset from 4:19 PM to 4:28 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.66:464:19
29.56:474:19
39.56:474:19
49.56:484:19
59.56:494:19
69.56:504:19
79.56:514:19
89.56:524:19
99.46:524:19
109.46:534:19
119.46:544:19
129.46:554:19
139.46:554:20
149.46:564:20
159.46:574:20
169.46:574:20
179.46:584:21
189.46:594:21
199.46:594:21
209.47:004:22
219.47:004:22
229.47:014:23
239.47:014:23
249.47:024:24
259.47:024:24
269.47:024:25
279.47:034:25
289.47:034:26
299.47:034:27
309.47:044:27
319.47:044:28

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.67 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.67 kWh/m² to a high of 5.59 kWh/m² in May across the year — December's 1.67 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.522.5151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.7Dim
21.7Dim
31.7Dim
41.7Dim
51.7Dim
61.7Dim
71.7Dim
81.7Dim
91.6Dim
101.6Dim
111.6Dim
121.6Dim
131.6Dim
141.7Dim
151.7Dim
161.7Dim
171.7Dim
181.7Dim
191.7Dim
201.7Dim
211.7Dim
221.7Dim
231.7Dim
241.8Dim
251.8Dim
261.8Dim
271.8Dim
281.8Dim
291.8Dim
301.8Dim
311.8Dim
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Shibata

In seasonPeak

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

Shibata 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 Shibata?

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

0.7
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Shibata.

What to pack for Shibata in December

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

In December, Shibata sees daytime highs around 7°C and nights near 3°C. Pack a warm layer and rain gear. Worth having: a heavy coat. About 25 days see rain.

a warm layerrain geara heavy coat

Sea temperature near Shibata in December

The nearest coast averages about 15°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 20 km away) is warmest in August at about 26°C and coldest in March near 9°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jun 21 to Oct 29 — about 4.3 months when the water holds above 20°C.

10°20°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan12Bracing
Feb10Bracing
Mar9Bracing
Apr11Bracing
May15Bracing
Jun20Cool
Jul23Refreshing
Aug26Warm
Sep25Warm
Oct22Refreshing
Nov18Cool
Dec15Bracing

UV index in Shibata in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 2. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Shibata 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.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highModerateAug 13UV 9Dec 22UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug9Very high
Sep8Very high
Oct5Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Shibata 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 Shibata 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).

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodApr 1421 µg/m³Dec 159 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb14Moderate
Mar20Moderate
Apr21Moderate
May19Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul14Moderate
Aug12Good
Sep10Good
Oct10Good
Nov10Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Shibata?

Shibata sits at 38.0°N, 139.3°E, 10 m above sea level, in Japan. The nearest listed city is Tainai, 14 km away.

Topography around Shibata

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Shibata has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 76 m around an average of 12 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,413 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,110 m.

The land around Shibata is covered by artificial surfaces (45%) and cropland (38%) within 3 km, trees (42%) and cropland (28%) within 16 km, and trees (54%) and water (33%) within 80 km.

3 km
76 m
16 km
1,413 m
80 km
2,110 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Tainai 14 km · Suibara 15 km · Agano 16 km · Kameda-honchō 21 km · Niitsu-honchō 25 km · Niigata 26 km · Gosen 28 km · Muramatsu 32 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 Shibata (37.95°, 139.3333°, elevation 10 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).