Sōma weather in January

In January, Sōma sees average daytime highs of 6°C and overnight lows near 3°C, with 62 mm of precipitation across 8.2 wet days and about 9.7 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 6°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 42% of the time in January, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 24 min at the start of January to 10 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Sōma's 2nd-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Sōma's year-round climate.

Daytime high
11th warmest
Overnight low
2nd coldest
Precipitation
62 mm
8.2 wet days
Daylight
9 h 42 min
6:56 AM – 4:35 PM
Cloud cover
50%
2nd clearest
Wind
20 km/h
1st windiest
Solar energy
2.6 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.7
out of 10

Sōma is city in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan.

Density
176/km²
people per km²
Founded
1954

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

Temperature in January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 6°C through the month.

A typical January day in Sōma reaches about 6°C in the afternoon and slips back to 3°C overnight — a 4°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 3°C and 10°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 3°C cooler than December and on par with February.

-5°10°15°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
174
274
374
474
574
673
773
873
973
1073
1173
1263
1363
1463
1563
1663
1763
1863
1963
2063
2163
2263
2363
2463
2563
2662
2762
2862
2962
3062
3162

How January really feels in Sōma

Once humidity and wind are folded in, January 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 January is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.

Sōma weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / 628.22.89.70.7
Feb / 527.42.910.50.7
Mar / 9810.21.511.71.6
Apr12° / 11310.50.212.93.3
May16° / 13°12111.20145.0
Jun20° / 17°13512.8014.65.5
Jul23° / 21°19116.2014.35.6
Aug25° / 23°14813.2013.56.2
Sep23° / 21°19414.1012.36.0
Oct19° / 16°19111.60115.8
Nov14° / 10°788.10104.3
Dec / 588.71.29.42.0

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 42% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 21% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 37%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17030
27030
36931
46931
56832
66832
76634
86535
96436
106337
116238
126238
136139
146040
156040
165842
175842
185842
195941
205941
215941
225941
236040
246040
256139
266238
276337
286337
296436
306436
316436

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitationSnow

Sōma gets around 62 mm of rain and snow over 8.2 wet days in January. 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 28% on the wettest days, and about 3 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1256
2266
3266
4266
5256
6257
7267
8267
9267
10268
11268
12278
13279
14279
15279
162710
172810
182810
192810
202811
212811
222811
232811
242711
252712
262712
272712
282612
292612
302612
312613

Humidity in January

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, January 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 January

Winds average 20 km/h in January, the windiest month of the year.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 20 km/h on the calmest days to 20 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
120light breeze
220light breeze
320light breeze
420light breeze
520light breeze
620light breeze
720light breeze
820light breeze
920light breeze
1020light breeze
1120light breeze
1220light breeze
1320light breeze
1420light breeze
1520light breeze
1620light breeze
1720light breeze
1820light breeze
1920light breeze
2020light breeze
2120light breeze
2220light breeze
2320light breeze
2420light breeze
2520light breeze
2620light breeze
2720light breeze
2820light breeze
2920light breeze
3020light breeze
3120light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 24 min at the start of January to 10 hours by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 36 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 6:57 AM to 6:48 AM, and sunset from 4:22 PM to 4:51 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.46:574:22
29.46:574:23
39.46:574:24
49.56:574:24
59.56:574:25
69.56:574:26
79.56:574:27
89.56:574:28
99.56:574:29
109.56:574:30
119.66:574:30
129.66:574:31
139.66:574:32
149.66:564:33
159.66:564:34
169.76:564:35
179.76:564:36
189.76:554:37
199.76:554:38
209.76:554:39
219.86:544:40
229.86:544:41
239.86:534:42
249.86:534:43
259.96:524:44
269.96:524:45
279.96:514:47
2810.06:504:48
2910.06:504:49
3010.06:494:50
3110.06:484:51

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 2.6 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.21 kWh/m² to a high of 5.4 kWh/m² in May across the year — January's 2.6 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.4Moderate
22.4Moderate
32.4Moderate
42.4Moderate
52.4Moderate
62.4Moderate
72.5Moderate
82.5Moderate
92.5Moderate
102.5Moderate
112.5Moderate
122.5Moderate
132.5Moderate
142.5Moderate
152.5Moderate
162.5Moderate
172.5Moderate
182.6Moderate
192.6Moderate
202.6Moderate
212.6Moderate
222.7Moderate
232.7Moderate
242.7Moderate
252.8Moderate
262.8Moderate
272.8Moderate
282.9Moderate
292.9Moderate
302.9Moderate
312.9Moderate
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Sōma

In seasonPeak

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

Sōma sits in the Pacific typhoon belt; the season peaks July–October.

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

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

Is January a good time to visit Sōma?

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

0.7
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

January is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Sōma.

What to pack for Sōma in January

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

In January, Sōma sees daytime highs around 6°C and nights near 3°C. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: a heavy coat and rain gear. About 8 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

Sea temperature near Sōma in January

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

The sea at the nearest coast (about 19 km away) is warmest in August at about 24°C and coldest in March near 9°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 7 to Oct 10 — about 3.2 months when the water holds above 20°C.

5°10°15°20°25°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan12Bracing
Feb9Bracing
Mar9Bracing
Apr11Bracing
May14Bracing
Jun18Cool
Jul21Refreshing
Aug24Refreshing
Sep23Refreshing
Oct19Cool
Nov17Cool
Dec14Bracing

UV index in Sōma in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 2. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Sōma peaks around July 20 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 10 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 9 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highModerateJul 20UV 9Jan 10UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug9Very high
Sep8Very high
Oct5High
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Sōma in January

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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

Air quality in Sōma is worst in April — around 20 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.4× the cleanest month (December, 9 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodApr 1720 µg/m³Dec 169 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb13Moderate
Mar19Moderate
Apr20Moderate
May19Moderate
Jun14Moderate
Jul12Good
Aug10Good
Sep10Good
Oct10Good
Nov10Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Sōma?

Sōma sits at 37.8°N, 140.9°E, 9 m above sea level, in Japan. The nearest listed city is Minami-Sōma, 19 km away.

Topography around Sōma

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Sōma has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 79 m around an average of 14 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 689 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,031 m.

The land around Sōma is covered by cropland (41%), artificial surfaces (27%) and trees (25%) within 3 km, trees (45%) and water (35%) within 16 km, and trees (54%) and water (32%) within 80 km.

3 km
79 m
16 km
689 m
80 km
2,031 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
January weather nearby: Minami-Sōma 19 km · Kakuda 24 km · Watari 28 km · Yanagawamachi-saiwaichō 30 km · Ōkawara 33 km · Hobaramachi 33 km · Namie 35 km · Iwanuma 35 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 Sōma (37.7928°, 140.9294°, elevation 9 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).