Shinjō weather in December

In December, Shinjō sees average daytime highs of 5°C and overnight lows near -1°C, with 144 mm of precipitation across 22.6 wet days and about 9.3 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 7°C in the first days to 3°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 5% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 30 min at the start of December to 9 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Shinjō's 10th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Shinjō's year-round climate.

Daytime high
10th warmest
Overnight low
-1°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
144 mm
22.6 wet days
Daylight
9 h 18 min
6:56 AM – 4:14 PM
Cloud cover
76%
10th clearest
Wind
10 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
1.67 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.1
out of 10

Shinjō is city in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan.

Density
185/km²
people per km²
Founded
1949

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 7°C in the first days to 3°C by the end.

A typical December day in Shinjō reaches about 5°C in the afternoon and slips back to -1°C overnight — a 6°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 0°C and 9°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 6°C cooler than November and about 3°C warmer than January.

-10°-5°10°15°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
171
271
371
471
560
660
760
860
960
1050
115-1
125-1
135-1
145-1
154-1
164-1
174-1
184-1
194-1
204-2
214-2
224-2
234-2
243-2
253-2
263-2
273-2
283-2
293-2
303-2
313-3

How December really feels in Shinjō

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
wind chill below the day's low

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

Shinjō weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / -4°13623.423.89.60.0
Feb / -3°1001918.910.50.0
Mar / -1°11818.713.111.70.6
Apr13° / 10414.32.5133.3
May19° / 10°10612.7014.15.6
Jun23° / 15°12313014.76.0
Jul26° / 19°20117.1014.45.4
Aug27° / 20°15715013.55.6
Sep23° / 16°13414.1012.35.8
Oct17° / 10°13114.20114.9
Nov11° / 11917.93.89.92.2
Dec / -1°14422.616.99.30.1

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 5% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 14% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 81%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12377
22179
32179
42080
51981
61981
71981
81981
91981
101981
111882
121882
131882
141882
151981
161981
171981
181981
191882
201882
211882
221882
231882
241882
251882
261882
271882
281882
291981
301981
311882

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Shinjō gets around 144 mm of rain and snow over 22.6 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 73% and peaks near 76% on the wettest days, and about 17 days bring snow. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
16733
26835
36937
46939
57041
67143
77245
87347
97348
107450
117452
127553
137554
147555
157556
167556
177557
187557
197458
207459
217459
227460
237461
247462
257463
267464
277465
287566
297567
307568
317670

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 10 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 9 km/h on the calmest days to 10 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
1610calm
1710calm
1810calm
1910calm
2010calm
2110calm
2210calm
2310calm
2410calm
2510calm
2610calm
2710calm
2810calm
2910calm
3010calm
3110calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 30 min at the start of December to 9 h 18 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 7:02 AM, and sunset from 4:13 PM to 4:22 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.56:444:13
29.56:454:13
39.56:464:13
49.46:474:13
59.46:484:13
69.46:484:13
79.46:494:13
89.46:504:13
99.46:514:13
109.46:524:13
119.36:524:13
129.36:534:13
139.36:544:13
149.36:554:13
159.36:554:14
169.36:564:14
179.36:574:14
189.36:574:15
199.36:584:15
209.36:584:15
219.36:594:16
229.36:594:16
239.37:004:17
249.37:004:17
259.37:014:18
269.37:014:18
279.37:014:19
289.37:024:20
299.37:024:20
309.37:024:21
319.37:024:22

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 5.25 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
71.6Dim
81.6Dim
91.6Dim
101.6Dim
111.6Dim
121.6Dim
131.6Dim
141.6Dim
151.6Dim
161.6Dim
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 Shinjō

In seasonPeak

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

Shinjō 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 Shinjō?

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

0.1
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 Shinjō.

What to pack for Shinjō in December

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

In December, Shinjō sees daytime highs around 5°C and nights near -1°C. Pack a warm layer and rain gear. Worth having: a heavy coat. About 23 days see rain.

a warm layerrain geara heavy coat

Sea temperature near Shinjō in December

The nearest coast averages about 14°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 55 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 26 to Oct 25 — about 4 months when the water holds above 20°C.

10°20°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan11Bracing
Feb10Bracing
Mar9Bracing
Apr10Bracing
May14Bracing
Jun19Cool
Jul23Refreshing
Aug26Warm
Sep25Warm
Oct21Refreshing
Nov18Cool
Dec14Bracing

UV index in Shinjō 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 Shinjō peaks around August 18 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 1 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 18UV 9Jan 1UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul7High
Aug9Very high
Sep8Very high
Oct5Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Shinjō 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 Shinjō is worst in April — around 21 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.4× the cleanest month (December, 9 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodApr 1721 µg/m³Dec 159 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb13Moderate
Mar19Moderate
Apr21Moderate
May20Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul13Moderate
Aug11Good
Sep10Good
Oct10Good
Nov10Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Shinjō?

Shinjō sits at 38.8°N, 140.3°E, 99 m above sea level, in Japan. The nearest listed city is Obanazawa, 19 km away.

Topography around Shinjō

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Shinjō has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 203 m around an average of 114 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,190 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,215 m.

The land around Shinjō is covered by cropland (43%), trees (28%) and artificial surfaces (26%) within 3 km, trees (74%) and cropland (20%) within 16 km, and trees (69%) within 80 km.

3 km
203 m
16 km
1,190 m
80 km
2,215 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Obanazawa 19 km · Murayama 34 km · Shonai 36 km · Higashine 37 km · Yachi 37 km · Tsuruoka 42 km · Sakata 42 km · Sagae 43 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 Shinjō (38.7586°, 140.3008°, elevation 99 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).