Shimoda weather in December

In December, Shimoda sees average daytime highs of 12°C and overnight lows near 10°C, with 98 mm of rain across 10.3 wet days and about 9.7 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 12th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 14°C in the first days to 11°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 53% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 48 min at the start of December to 9 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Shimoda's 1st-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Shimoda's year-round climate.

Daytime high
12°
9th warmest
Overnight low
10°
4th coldest
Rainfall
98 mm
10.3 wet days
Daylight
9 h 42 min
6:50 AM – 4:31 PM
Cloud cover
42%
1st clearest
Wind
25 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
2.47 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.5
out of 10

Shimoda is city in Shizuoka prefecture, Japan.

Founded
1971

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 14°C in the first days to 11°C by the end.

A typical December day in Shimoda reaches about 12°C in the afternoon and slips back to 10°C overnight — a 3°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 9°C and 16°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 4°C cooler than November and about 3°C warmer than January.

10°15°20°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
11412
21411
31411
41411
51411
61411
71411
81311
91310
101310
111310
121310
131310
141310
151210
16129
17129
18129
19129
20129
21129
22129
23129
24119
25118
26118
27118
28118
29118
30118
31118

Shimoda weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 9th-warmest and 12th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan10° / 1049.50.49.92.3
Feb10° / 1159.40.510.72.4
Mar12° / 19113.90.211.73.2
Apr16° / 13°18212.5012.84.6
May19° / 16°21012.3013.85.7
Jun22° / 20°28915014.35.5
Jul25° / 23°23613.8014.16.1
Aug26° / 24°14613013.36.2
Sep25° / 22°24015.3012.25.9
Oct21° / 18°26213.9011.16.0
Nov17° / 14°16311.6010.25.2
Dec12° / 10°9810.309.73.5

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 53% of the time in December, the clearest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 13% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 34%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16238
26238
36238
46238
56337
66337
76436
86436
96436
106535
116535
126535
136535
146535
156634
166634
176634
186733
196733
206733
216832
226832
236832
246931
256931
267030
277030
287129
297129
307129
317129

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Shimoda gets around 98 mm of rain over 10.3 wet days in December, the driest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 33% and peaks near 38% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
138
238
337
437
537
637
736
836
935
1035
1134
1234
1333
1433
1532
1632
1732
1831
1931
2030
2130
2230
2330
2430
2529
2629
2729
2829
2929
3028
3128

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 98% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
19442
29541
39541
49631
59631
69631
79631
89721
99721
109721
119721
129811
139910
149910
159910
169910
179910
189910
199910
209910
219910
229910
2310000
2410000
2510000
2610000
2710000
2810000
2910000
3010000
3110000

Wind in December

Winds average 25 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 24 km/h on the calmest days to 26 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0102030151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
124breezy
224breezy
324breezy
424breezy
525breezy
625breezy
725breezy
825breezy
925breezy
1025breezy
1125breezy
1225breezy
1325breezy
1425breezy
1525breezy
1625breezy
1725breezy
1825breezy
1925breezy
2026breezy
2126breezy
2226breezy
2326breezy
2426breezy
2526breezy
2626breezy
2726breezy
2825breezy
2925breezy
3025breezy
3125breezy

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 48 min at the start of December to 9 h 42 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 6 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 6:39 AM to 6:56 AM, and sunset from 4:29 PM to 4:39 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.86:394:29
29.86:394:29
39.86:404:29
49.86:414:29
59.86:424:29
69.86:434:29
79.86:444:29
89.76:444:29
99.76:454:29
109.76:464:30
119.76:464:30
129.76:474:30
139.76:484:30
149.76:494:30
159.76:494:31
169.76:504:31
179.76:504:31
189.76:514:32
199.76:514:32
209.76:524:32
219.76:534:33
229.76:534:33
239.76:534:34
249.76:544:34
259.76:544:35
269.76:554:35
279.76:554:36
289.76:554:37
299.76:564:37
309.76:564:38
319.76:564:39

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 2.47 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.47 kWh/m² to a high of 5.58 kWh/m² in May across the year — December's 2.47 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.5Moderate
22.5Moderate
32.4Moderate
42.4Moderate
52.4Moderate
62.4Moderate
72.4Moderate
82.5Moderate
92.5Moderate
102.5Moderate
112.5Moderate
122.5Moderate
132.5Moderate
142.5Moderate
152.5Moderate
162.5Moderate
172.5Moderate
182.5Moderate
192.5Moderate
202.5Moderate
212.5Moderate
222.5Moderate
232.6Moderate
242.6Moderate
252.6Moderate
262.6Moderate
272.6Moderate
282.6Moderate
292.6Moderate
302.7Moderate
312.7Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Shimoda

In seasonPeak

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

Shimoda 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 Shimoda?

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

3.5
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Shimoda.

What to pack for Shimoda in December

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

In December, Shimoda sees daytime highs around 12°C and nights near 10°C. Worth packing: a warm layer, rain gear and a windbreaker. About 10 days see rain.

a warm layerrain geara windbreaker

Sea temperature near Shimoda in December

The nearest coast averages about 19°C in December — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea offshore is warmest in August at about 26°C and coldest in February near 16°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from May 24 to Dec 3 — about 6.4 months when the water holds above 20°C.

15°20°25°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan17Cool
Feb16Cool
Mar16Cool
Apr18Cool
May20Cool
Jun22Refreshing
Jul24Warm
Aug26Warm
Sep26Warm
Oct24Refreshing
Nov21Refreshing
Dec19Cool

UV index in Shimoda in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 3. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Shimoda peaks around July 24 at about 10 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 23 at about 3 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 10 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highExtremeVery highModerateJul 24UV 10Dec 23UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr7High
May9Very high
Jun10Very high
Jul10Extreme
Aug10Extreme
Sep9Very high
Oct6High
Nov4Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in Shimoda 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 Shimoda is worst in April — around 20 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.6× the cleanest month (December, 8 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodApr 1719 µg/m³Dec 168 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb13Moderate
Mar18Moderate
Apr20Moderate
May18Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul11Good
Aug10Good
Sep9Good
Oct10Good
Nov9Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Shimoda?

Shimoda sits at 34.7°N, 138.9°E, 11 m above sea level, in Japan. The nearest listed city is Shuzenji, 33 km away.

Topography around Shimoda

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Shimoda has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 330 m around an average of 62 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,060 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,746 m.

The land around Shimoda is covered by trees (66%) and water (22%) within 3 km, water (53%) and trees (45%) within 16 km, and water (75%) and trees (20%) within 80 km.

3 km
330 m
16 km
1,060 m
80 km
3,746 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: Shuzenji 33 km · Izu 33 km · Itō 35 km · Izunokuni 40 km · Atami 47 km · Kamizawa 47 km · Numazu 48 km · Fushimi 49 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 Shimoda (34.6765°, 138.9446°, elevation 11 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).