Shirahama weather in December

In December, Shirahama sees average daytime highs of 13°C and overnight lows near 9°C, with 97 mm of precipitation across 10.1 wet days and about 9.8 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 11th-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 37% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 54 min at the start of December to 9 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Shirahama's 3rd-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Shirahama's year-round climate.

Daytime high
13°
10th warmest
Overnight low
4th coldest
Precipitation
97 mm
10.1 wet days
Daylight
9 h 48 min
7:02 AM – 4:48 PM
Cloud cover
51%
3rd clearest
Wind
22 km/h
3rd windiest
Solar energy
2.44 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.6
out of 10

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 Shirahama reaches about 13°C in the afternoon and slips back to 9°C overnight — a 4°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 5°C cooler than November and about 3°C warmer than January.

10°15°20°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
11511
21511
31411
41411
51410
61410
71410
81410
91310
101310
11139
12139
13139
14139
15139
16129
17129
18129
19128
20128
21128
22128
23128
24128
25128
26118
27118
28118
29118
30117
31117

How December really feels in Shirahama

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December 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

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

Shirahama weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 11th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan10° / 9511.60.5102.3
Feb11° / 10411.10.510.72.4
Mar13° / 15112.3011.73.7
Apr17° / 13°15811.1012.85.4
May21° / 17°17711013.76.2
Jun24° / 21°29315.4014.25.6
Jul27° / 24°24614.40145.7
Aug28° / 25°14613.3013.35.6
Sep26° / 23°21513.3012.26.1
Oct22° / 18°21711.2011.26.6
Nov17° / 14°1278.8010.35.8
Dec13° / 9710.10.19.83.6

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 37% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 24% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 39%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16139
26040
36139
46139
56139
66238
76238
86238
96238
106238
116238
126238
136238
146238
156139
166139
176139
186139
196139
206139
216139
226238
236139
246238
256238
266139
276238
286238
296139
306139
316139

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Shirahama gets around 97 mm of rain and snow over 10.1 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 32% and peaks near 34% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
130
231
331
431
531
631
731
831
931
1031
1131
1232
1332
1432
1532
1632
1732
1833
1933
2033
2133
2234
2334
2434
2534
2633
2733
2833
2933
3033
3133

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 97% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
19262
29451
39451
49451
59541
69541
79541
89631
99631
109730
119730
129820
139820
149820
159820
169820
179820
189910
199910
209910
219910
229910
239910
249910
259910
269910
279910
289910
299910
309910
319910

Wind in December

Winds average 22 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 21 km/h on the calmest days to 23 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
121breezy
221breezy
321breezy
421breezy
521breezy
621breezy
722breezy
822breezy
922breezy
1022breezy
1122breezy
1222breezy
1322breezy
1422breezy
1522breezy
1622breezy
1722breezy
1822breezy
1922breezy
2022breezy
2122breezy
2222breezy
2323breezy
2423breezy
2523breezy
2623breezy
2723breezy
2823breezy
2923breezy
3023breezy
3123breezy

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 54 min at the start of December to 9 h 48 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 6:51 AM to 7:08 AM, and sunset from 4:46 PM to 4:55 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.96:514:46
29.96:514:46
39.96:524:46
49.96:534:46
59.96:544:46
69.96:554:46
79.86:554:46
89.86:564:46
99.86:574:46
109.86:584:47
119.86:584:47
129.86:594:47
139.87:004:47
149.87:004:47
159.87:014:48
169.87:024:48
179.87:024:48
189.87:034:49
199.87:034:49
209.87:044:49
219.87:044:50
229.87:054:50
239.87:054:51
249.87:064:51
259.87:064:52
269.87:064:52
279.87:074:53
289.87:074:54
299.87:074:54
309.87:084:55
319.87:084:55

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 2.44 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.44 kWh/m² to a high of 5.6 kWh/m² in May across the year — December's 2.44 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.5Moderate
22.5Moderate
32.5Moderate
42.5Moderate
52.5Moderate
62.5Moderate
72.5Moderate
82.5Moderate
92.5Moderate
102.5Moderate
112.5Moderate
122.4Moderate
132.4Moderate
142.4Moderate
152.4Moderate
162.4Moderate
172.4Moderate
182.4Moderate
192.4Moderate
202.5Moderate
212.5Moderate
222.5Moderate
232.5Moderate
242.5Moderate
252.5Moderate
262.5Moderate
272.5Moderate
282.5Moderate
292.5Moderate
302.5Moderate
312.6Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Shirahama

In seasonPeak

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

Shirahama 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 Shirahama?

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

3.6
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Shirahama.

What to pack for Shirahama in December

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

In December, Shirahama sees daytime highs around 13°C and nights near 9°C. Worth packing: a warm layer, rain gear and a windbreaker. About 10 days see rain.

a warm layerrain geara windbreaker

Sea temperature near Shirahama in December

The nearest coast averages about 20°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 28°C and coldest in February near 17°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from May 4 to Dec 22 — about 7.7 months when the water holds above 20°C.

15°20°25°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan18Cool
Feb17Cool
Mar18Cool
Apr19Cool
May21Refreshing
Jun23Refreshing
Jul26Warm
Aug28Warm
Sep27Warm
Oct25Warm
Nov23Refreshing
Dec20Refreshing

UV index in Shirahama 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 Shirahama peaks around July 11 at about 11 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 3 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 11 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highExtremeVery highModerateJul 11UV 11Dec 22UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar6High
Apr7Very high
May9Very high
Jun10Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug9Very high
Sep10Very high
Oct6High
Nov4Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in Shirahama 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 Shirahama is worst in April — around 19 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.9× the cleanest month (December, 10 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodApr 1319 µg/m³Dec 1310 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan12Good
Feb15Moderate
Mar19Moderate
Apr19Moderate
May17Moderate
Jun14Moderate
Jul10Good
Aug10Good
Sep10Good
Oct10Good
Nov11Good
Dec10Good
Location & terrain

Where is Shirahama?

Shirahama sits at 33.7°N, 135.3°E, 13 m above sea level, in Japan. The nearest listed city is Tanabe, 6.0 km away.

Topography around Shirahama

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Shirahama has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 148 m around an average of 22 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 789 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,877 m.

The land around Shirahama is covered by water (57%) and trees (26%) within 3 km, water (53%) and trees (41%) within 16 km, and water (54%) and trees (43%) within 80 km.

3 km
148 m
16 km
789 m
80 km
1,877 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Tanabe 6.0 km · Asso 6.0 km · Gobō 28 km · Itogawa 39 km · Kushimoto 46 km · Arida 49 km · Kainan 54 km · Shingū 59 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 Shirahama (33.6833°, 135.35°, elevation 13 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).