Shimotsuke weather in May

In May, Shimotsuke sees average daytime highs of 22°C and overnight lows near 13°C, with 173 mm of rain across 14.9 wet days and about 13.9 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 20°C in the first days to 23°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 23% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 30 min at the start of May to 14 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Shimotsuke's 8th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Shimotsuke's year-round climate.

Daytime high
22°
5th warmest
Overnight low
13°
8th coldest
Rainfall
173 mm
14.9 wet days
Daylight
13 h 54 min
4:39 AM – 6:35 PM
Cloud cover
69%
8th clearest
Wind
7 km/h
5th windiest
Solar energy
5.1 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.8
out of 10

Shimotsuke is city in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan.

Density
808/km²
people per km²
Founded
2006

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

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 20°C in the first days to 23°C by the end.

A typical May day in Shimotsuke reaches about 22°C in the afternoon and slips back to 13°C overnight — a 9°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 17°C and 26°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 5°C warmer than April and about 3°C cooler than June.

10°15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12010
22011
32011
42111
52111
62111
72111
82112
92112
102112
112112
122112
132212
142212
152213
162213
172213
182213
192213
202213
212214
222314
232314
242314
252314
262314
272314
282315
292315
302315
312315

How May really feels in Shimotsuke

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

May sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Shimotsuke weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / -1°556.32.59.81.2
Feb / -0°547.12.610.61.6
Mar12° / 11312.62.311.73.0
Apr17° / 13613.40.312.95.0
May22° / 13°17314.9013.95.8
Jun25° / 17°20418.4014.45.2
Jul28° / 21°26221.5014.24.2
Aug29° / 22°20719.6013.44.1
Sep26° / 19°23917.8012.25.2
Oct20° / 13°20614.8011.15.6
Nov15° / 919.2010.14.6
Dec10° / 556.80.69.62.4

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 23% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 13% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 64%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14555
24357
34258
44258
54159
64060
73862
83763
93664
103664
113664
123664
133565
143466
153466
163466
173466
183466
193466
203466
213466
223367
233466
243466
253466
263466
273268
283268
293268
303169
313070

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Shimotsuke gets around 173 mm of rain over 14.9 wet days in May. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 47% and peaks near 50% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
143
243
344
444
544
645
745
846
946
1047
1147
1248
1348
1448
1549
1649
1749
1849
1949
2049
2149
2249
2349
2449
2549
2649
2749
2849
2949
3049
3150

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, May lands in the dry band about 62% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
1831430
2821431
3821530
4801640
5791740
6771841
7751951
8751951
9742051
10722161
11722161
12712261
13692371
14682471
15662581
16652681
17632791
18622891
195930101
205731111
215532121
225333131
235134141
244835151
254637162
264438172
274139182
283940202
293740212
303441222
313241243

Wind in May

Winds average 7 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 6 km/h on the calmest days to 7 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
217calm
227calm
237calm
247calm
257calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
316calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 30 min at the start of May to 14 h 18 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 48 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 4:54 AM to 4:30 AM, and sunset from 6:22 PM to 6:46 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.54:546:22
213.54:536:23
313.54:516:23
413.64:506:24
513.64:496:25
613.64:486:26
713.74:476:27
813.74:466:28
913.74:456:29
1013.84:446:30
1113.84:436:30
1213.84:426:31
1313.84:416:32
1413.94:416:33
1513.94:406:34
1613.94:396:35
1714.04:386:36
1814.04:376:36
1914.04:376:37
2014.04:366:38
2114.14:356:39
2214.14:346:40
2314.14:346:40
2414.14:336:41
2514.24:336:42
2614.24:326:43
2714.24:316:43
2814.24:316:44
2914.24:316:45
3014.34:306:46
3114.34:306:46

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.1 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.36 kWh/m² to a high of 5.1 kWh/m² in May across the year — May's 5.1 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.1Bright
25.1Bright
35.1Bright
45.1Bright
55.1Bright
65.1Bright
75.1Bright
85.1Bright
95.1Bright
105.1Bright
115.1Bright
125.1Bright
135.1Bright
145.1Bright
155.1Bright
165.1Bright
175.1Bright
185.1Bright
195.1Bright
205.1Bright
215.1Bright
225.2Bright
235.2Bright
245.2Bright
255.2Bright
265.2Bright
275.1Bright
285.1Bright
295.1Bright
305.1Bright
315.1Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Shimotsuke

In seasonPeak

In May, Shimotsuke sits inside its rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Shimotsuke's rainy season runs April–October, when most of the year's rain falls.

Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is May a good time to visit Shimotsuke?

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

5.8
Sightseeing
1st-best month of the year
3.9
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Shimotsuke for sightseeing.

What to pack for Shimotsuke in May

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

In May, Shimotsuke sees daytime highs around 22°C and nights near 13°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 15 days see rain.

rain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Shimotsuke in May

The nearest coast averages about 17°C in May — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 68 km away) is warmest in August at about 24°C and coldest in February near 13°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jun 24 to Oct 28 — about 4.2 months when the water holds above 20°C.

10°15°20°25°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan15Bracing
Feb13Bracing
Mar13Bracing
Apr15Bracing
May17Cool
Jun19Cool
Jul22Refreshing
Aug24Warm
Sep23Refreshing
Oct21Refreshing
Nov19Cool
Dec16Cool

UV index in Shimotsuke in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 8 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Shimotsuke peaks around July 17 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 1 at about 2 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highModerateJul 17UV 9Jan 1UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug9Very high
Sep8Very high
Oct6High
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Shimotsuke in May

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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

Air quality in Shimotsuke 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 1721 µg/m³Dec 179 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb13Moderate
Mar19Moderate
Apr21Moderate
May20Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul14Moderate
Aug13Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct11Good
Nov10Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Shimotsuke?

Shimotsuke sits at 36.4°N, 139.9°E, 66 m above sea level, in Japan. The nearest listed city is Kaminokawa, 5.0 km away.

Topography around Shimotsuke

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Shimotsuke has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 34 m around an average of 60 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 218 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,553 m.

The land around Shimotsuke is covered by cropland (47%) and artificial surfaces (33%) within 3 km, cropland (45%) and artificial surfaces (34%) within 16 km, and trees (51%), cropland (21%) and artificial surfaces (20%) within 80 km.

3 km
34 m
16 km
218 m
80 km
2,553 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
May weather nearby: Kaminokawa 5.0 km · Mibu 6.0 km · Tochigi 12 km · Yūki 13 km · Mooka 14 km · Oyama 14 km · Chikusei 15 km · Shimodate 16 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 Shimotsuke (36.4132°, 139.8662°, elevation 66 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. 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).