Shirakawa weather in February

In February, Shirakawa sees average daytime highs of 6°C and overnight lows near -2°C, with 51 mm of precipitation across 7.4 wet days and about 10.6 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 12th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 5°C in the first days to 7°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 33% of the time in February, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 10 h 06 min at the start of February to 11 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, February is Shirakawa's 4th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Shirakawa's year-round climate.

Daytime high
11th warmest
Overnight low
-2°
2nd coldest
Precipitation
51 mm
7.4 wet days
Daylight
10 h 36 min
6:36 AM – 5:11 PM
Cloud cover
56%
4th clearest
Wind
10 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
3.46 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.3
out of 10

Temperature in February

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 5°C in the first days to 7°C by the end.

A typical February day in Shirakawa reaches about 6°C in the afternoon and slips back to -2°C overnight — a 7°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 2°C and 10°C. Set against its neighbours, February runs about 1°C warmer than January and about 4°C cooler than March.

-10°-5°10°15°151015202528
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
15-3
25-3
35-3
45-3
55-2
65-2
75-2
85-2
95-2
105-2
115-2
125-2
135-2
145-2
155-2
166-2
176-2
186-2
196-2
206-2
216-2
226-1
236-1
246-1
257-1
267-1
277-1
287-1

How February really feels in Shirakawa

Once humidity and wind are folded in, February averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 28 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
28
wind chill below the day's low

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

Shirakawa weather by month

How February compares with the rest of the year at a glance. February is the 11th-warmest and 12th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / -2°537.46.19.70.0
Feb / -2°517.44.910.60.3
Mar / 9811.94.711.71.9
Apr15° / 112121.112.94.4
May20° / 11°128130145.8
Jun23° / 16°14315.5014.55.6
Jul27° / 20°19518.8014.34.9
Aug28° / 21°14616.1013.45.0
Sep24° / 17°17815012.35.7
Oct18° / 11°15912.10115.5
Nov13° / 788.10.3103.7
Dec / 517.43.49.51.1

Cloud cover in February

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 33% of the time in February.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 26% of February, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 41%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202528
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16436
26436
36337
46337
56337
66238
76139
86238
96139
106040
116040
126040
135941
145941
155842
165941
175842
185842
195842
205842
215743
225743
235644
245644
255545
265545
275446
285446

Chance of precipitation in February

Any precipitationSnow

Shirakawa gets around 51 mm of rain and snow over 7.4 wet days in February, the driest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 27% and peaks near 33% on the wettest days, and about 5 days bring snow. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202528
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
12420
22420
32420
42420
52520
62520
72520
82620
92619
102619
112719
122719
132718
142718
152718
162717
172717
182717
192816
202816
212816
222916
232916
243016
253016
263116
273216
283317

Humidity in February

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, February 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%151015202528
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

Wind in February

Winds average 10 km/h in February.

Across February, daily wind ranges from about 10 km/h on the calmest days to 10 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202528
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
110calm
210calm
310calm
410calm
510calm
610calm
710calm
810calm
910calm
1010calm
1110calm
1210calm
1310calm
1410calm
1510calm
1610calm
1710calm
1810calm
1910calm
2010calm
2110calm
2210calm
2310calm
2410calm
2510calm
2610calm
2710calm
2810calm

Sunrise & sunset in February

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 10 h 06 min at the start of February to 11 h 06 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 60 minutes over February. Sunrise moves from 6:49 AM to 6:20 AM, and sunset from 4:56 PM to 5:24 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202528
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.16:494:56
210.26:484:57
310.26:474:58
410.26:474:59
510.26:465:00
610.36:455:01
710.36:445:03
810.36:435:04
910.46:425:05
1010.46:415:06
1110.46:405:07
1210.56:395:08
1310.56:385:09
1410.56:375:10
1510.66:365:11
1610.66:355:12
1710.76:345:13
1810.76:335:14
1910.76:325:15
2010.86:305:16
2110.86:295:17
2210.86:285:18
2310.96:275:19
2410.96:255:20
2511.06:245:21
2611.06:235:22
2711.06:225:23
2811.16:205:24

Solar energy in February

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in February, about 3.46 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.28 kWh/m² to a high of 5.24 kWh/m² in May across the year — February's 3.46 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

01234151015202528
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.1Moderate
23.1Moderate
33.1Moderate
43.2Moderate
53.2Moderate
63.2Moderate
73.3Moderate
83.3Moderate
93.3Moderate
103.3Moderate
113.4Moderate
123.4Moderate
133.4Moderate
143.5Moderate
153.5Moderate
163.5Moderate
173.5Moderate
183.5Moderate
193.6Moderate
203.6Moderate
213.6Moderate
223.6Moderate
233.7Moderate
243.7Moderate
253.7Moderate
263.7Moderate
273.8Moderate
283.8Moderate
Planning a trip in February

Hazard calendar for Shirakawa

In seasonPeak

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

Shirakawa 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 February a good time to visit Shirakawa?

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

0.3
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

February is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Shirakawa.

What to pack for Shirakawa in February

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

In February, Shirakawa sees daytime highs around 6°C and nights near -2°C. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: a heavy coat. About 7 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coat

Sea temperature near Shirakawa in February

The nearest coast averages about 12°C in February — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 61 km away) is warmest in August at about 24°C and coldest in March near 12°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 1 to Oct 22 — about 3.7 months when the water holds above 20°C.

10°15°20°25°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan14Bracing
Feb12Bracing
Mar12Bracing
Apr14Bracing
May16Cool
Jun19Cool
Jul21Refreshing
Aug24Refreshing
Sep23Refreshing
Oct20Refreshing
Nov18Cool
Dec16Cool

UV index in Shirakawa in February

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in February peaks around 3 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Shirakawa 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 (low).

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
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug9Very high
Sep8Very high
Oct6High
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Shirakawa in February

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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

Air quality in Shirakawa is worst in April — around 21 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.5× the cleanest month (December, 9 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodApr 1821 µg/m³Dec 189 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb13Moderate
Mar19Moderate
Apr21Moderate
May20Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul14Moderate
Aug13Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct11Good
Nov10Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Shirakawa?

Shirakawa sits at 37.1°N, 140.3°E, 323 m above sea level, in Japan. The nearest listed city is Kumakura, 9.0 km away.

Topography around Shirakawa

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Shirakawa has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 172 m around an average of 353 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 561 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,457 m.

The land around Shirakawa is covered by trees (48%) and cropland (35%) within 3 km, trees (66%) and cropland (22%) within 16 km, and trees (74%) within 80 km.

3 km
172 m
16 km
561 m
80 km
2,457 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
February weather nearby: Kumakura 9.0 km · Yabuki 10 km · Ishikawa 17 km · Nasu 17 km · Sukagawa 21 km · Nasushiobara 24 km · Kuroiso 25 km · Kōriyama 33 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 Shirakawa (37.1195°, 140.2621°, elevation 323 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).