Shizukuishi weather in May

In May, Shizukuishi sees average daytime highs of 17°C and overnight lows near 8°C, with 114 mm of precipitation across 13.9 wet days and about 14.2 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 15°C in the first days to 19°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 22% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 42 min at the start of May to 14 h 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Shizukuishi's 4th-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Shizukuishi's year-round climate.

Daytime high
17°
5th warmest
Overnight low
8th coldest
Precipitation
114 mm
13.9 wet days
Daylight
14 h 12 min
4:27 AM – 6:38 PM
Cloud cover
69%
4th clearest
Wind
8 km/h
7th windiest
Solar energy
5.13 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.8
out of 10

Shizukuishi is town in Iwate district, Iwate prefecture, Japan.

Density
27/km²
people per km²
Founded
1955

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 15°C in the first days to 19°C by the end.

A typical May day in Shizukuishi reaches about 17°C in the afternoon and slips back to 8°C overnight — a 9°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 12°C and 21°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 6°C warmer than April and about 4°C cooler than June.

10°15°20°25°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
1155
2155
3156
4156
5156
6156
7166
8167
9167
10167
11167
12167
13168
14168
15178
16178
17178
18178
19179
20179
21189
22189
23189
24189
251810
261810
271810
281910
291910
301910
311910

How May really feels in Shizukuishi

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.

Shizukuishi 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° / -8°8314.518.39.50.0
Feb / -8°7713.515.210.40.0
Mar / -4°11316.11411.70.1
Apr11° / 108154.5132.2
May17° / 11413.90.214.24.8
Jun20° / 13°12113.4014.85.5
Jul24° / 17°18117.3014.55.5
Aug25° / 19°16416013.65.7
Sep21° / 14°16114.5012.35.5
Oct15° / 13513.40.210.94.2
Nov / 10815.159.81.3
Dec / -6°10516169.20.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 22% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 14% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 64%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13961
24060
33961
43862
53862
63763
73763
83565
93466
103466
113367
123367
133367
143466
153466
163466
173466
183466
193565
203565
213565
223664
233664
243565
253664
263664
273664
283664
293763
303763
313565

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitationSnow

Shizukuishi gets around 114 mm of rain and snow over 13.9 wet days in May. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 45% and peaks near 48% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1485
2484
3474
4473
5473
6472
7472
8472
9471
10471
11471
12470
13470
14460
15460
16460
17460
18460
19450
20450
21440
22440
23430
24430
25420
26420
27420
28420
29410
30410
31410

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 95% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)
11000
21000
31000
41000
51000
61000
71000
8991
9991
10991
11991
12991
13982
14982
15982
16973
17973
18973
19964
20955
21955
22946
23937
24928
25919
269010
278911
288812
298614
308515
318317

Wind in May

Winds average 8 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 7 km/h on the calmest days to 9 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
98calm
108calm
118calm
128calm
138calm
148calm
158calm
168calm
178calm
188calm
198calm
208calm
218calm
228calm
238calm
248calm
258calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 42 min at the start of May to 14 h 36 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 54 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 4:44 AM to 4:16 AM, and sunset from 6:23 PM to 6:51 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.74:446:23
213.74:426:24
313.74:416:25
413.84:406:26
513.84:396:27
613.84:386:28
713.94:366:29
813.94:356:30
913.94:346:31
1014.04:336:32
1114.04:326:33
1214.04:316:34
1314.14:306:35
1414.14:296:36
1514.14:286:37
1614.24:276:38
1714.24:266:39
1814.24:256:40
1914.34:246:40
2014.34:236:41
2114.34:236:42
2214.44:226:43
2314.44:216:44
2414.44:206:45
2514.44:206:46
2614.54:196:47
2714.54:186:47
2814.54:186:48
2914.54:176:49
3014.64:176:50
3114.64:166:51

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.13 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.81 kWh/m² to a high of 5.13 kWh/m² in May across the year — May's 5.13 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
95.0Bright
105.0Bright
115.0Bright
125.0Bright
135.0Bright
145.0Bright
155.0Bright
165.0Bright
175.1Bright
185.1Bright
195.1Bright
205.1Bright
215.2Bright
225.2Bright
235.2Bright
245.3Bright
255.3Bright
265.3Bright
275.3Bright
285.3Bright
295.4Bright
305.4Bright
315.4Bright
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Shizukuishi?

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

4.8
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
1.1
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Shizukuishi for sightseeing.

What to pack for Shizukuishi in May

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

In May, Shizukuishi sees daytime highs around 17°C and nights near 8°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: a warm layer and sun protection. About 14 days see rain.

rain geara warm layersun protection

UV index in Shizukuishi in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 8 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Shizukuishi 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 highHighVery highHighModerateLowAug 18UV 9Jan 1UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul6High
Aug9Very high
Sep7High
Oct5Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Shizukuishi 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 Shizukuishi is worst in April — around 20 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.1× the cleanest month (December, 9 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodApr 1420 µg/m³Dec 1610 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb14Moderate
Mar19Moderate
Apr20Moderate
May19Moderate
Jun14Moderate
Jul12Moderate
Aug11Good
Sep11Good
Oct12Good
Nov11Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Shizukuishi?

Shizukuishi sits at 39.7°N, 141.0°E, 192 m above sea level, in Japan. The nearest listed city is Morioka, 14 km away.

Topography around Shizukuishi

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Shizukuishi has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 167 m around an average of 207 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,544 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,986 m.

The land around Shizukuishi is covered by cropland (39%) and trees (37%) within 3 km, trees (75%) within 16 km, and trees (87%) within 80 km.

3 km
167 m
16 km
1,544 m
80 km
1,986 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
May weather nearby: Morioka 14 km · Yahaba 17 km · Takizawa 18 km · Semboku 20 km · Hizume 22 km · Hachimantai 26 km · Hanamaki 36 km · Kitakami 47 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 Shizukuishi (39.6941°, 140.9844°, elevation 192 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. 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).