Sōma in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Sōma sees average daytime highs around 7°C and overnight lows near 4°C, with 172 mm of precipitation over about 24 wet days across the season. It is the coldest season of the year and the driest season of the year.
Over the season highs ease from about 11°C in early December to 7°C by late February. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 41% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels dry.
Winter is Sōma's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Sōma's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 7°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 4°C
- Precipitation
- 172 mm
- 24 wet days
- Avg wind
- 19 km/h
- Travel score
- 1.1
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Sōma in Winter
Over the season highs ease from about 11°C in early December to 7°C by late February.
A typical winter day in Sōma reaches about 7°C and drops to 4°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest February.
How winter really feels in Sōma
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 0 days that feel above 32°C and 62 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in winter is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.
Sōma weather by month
How the three winter months (December, January and February) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Snow days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6° / 3° | 62 | 8.2 | 2.8 | 9.7 | 0.7 |
| Feb | 6° / 3° | 52 | 7.4 | 2.9 | 10.5 | 0.7 |
| Mar | 9° / 4° | 98 | 10.2 | 1.5 | 11.7 | 1.6 |
| Apr | 12° / 8° | 113 | 10.5 | 0.2 | 12.9 | 3.3 |
| May | 16° / 13° | 121 | 11.2 | 0 | 14 | 5.0 |
| Jun | 20° / 17° | 135 | 12.8 | 0 | 14.6 | 5.5 |
| Jul | 23° / 21° | 191 | 16.2 | 0 | 14.3 | 5.6 |
| Aug | 25° / 23° | 148 | 13.2 | 0 | 13.5 | 6.2 |
| Sep | 23° / 21° | 194 | 14.1 | 0 | 12.3 | 6.0 |
| Oct | 19° / 16° | 191 | 11.6 | 0 | 11 | 5.8 |
| Nov | 14° / 10° | 78 | 8.1 | 0 | 10 | 4.3 |
| Dec | 9° / 6° | 58 | 8.7 | 1.2 | 9.4 | 2.0 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 41% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Sōma gets around 172 mm of rain and snow over 24 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 19 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 9 h 36 min in early December to 11 hours by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Winter
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across winter, about 2.7 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Sōma
In winter, Sōma overlaps 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.
Is winter a good time to visit Sōma?
Our two travel scores rate winter for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
winter is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Sōma.
What to pack for Sōma in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Sōma sees daytime highs around 7°C and nights near 4°C. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: a heavy coat and rain gear. About 24 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Sōma in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 12°C across winter — 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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 12 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 18 | 21 | 24 | 23 | 19 | 17 | 14 |
| Comfort | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Cool | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing | Cool | Cool | Bracing |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 12 | Bracing |
| Feb | 9 | Bracing |
| Mar | 9 | Bracing |
| Apr | 11 | Bracing |
| May | 14 | Bracing |
| Jun | 18 | Cool |
| Jul | 21 | Refreshing |
| Aug | 24 | Refreshing |
| Sep | 23 | Refreshing |
| Oct | 19 | Cool |
| Nov | 17 | Cool |
| Dec | 14 | Bracing |
UV index in Sōma in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages 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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 2 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| Level | Low | Moderate | Moderate | High | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | High | Moderate | Low |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2 | Low |
| Feb | 3 | Moderate |
| Mar | 4 | Moderate |
| Apr | 6 | High |
| May | 8 | Very high |
| Jun | 8 | Very high |
| Jul | 9 | Very high |
| Aug | 9 | Very high |
| Sep | 8 | Very high |
| Oct | 5 | High |
| Nov | 3 | Moderate |
| Dec | 2 | Low |
Air quality in Sōma in Winter
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where winter 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).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 10 | 13 | 19 | 20 | 19 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 |
| Level | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 10 | Good |
| Feb | 13 | Moderate |
| Mar | 19 | Moderate |
| Apr | 20 | Moderate |
| May | 19 | Moderate |
| Jun | 14 | Moderate |
| Jul | 12 | Good |
| Aug | 10 | Good |
| Sep | 10 | Good |
| Oct | 10 | Good |
| Nov | 10 | Good |
| Dec | 9 | Good |
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.
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
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.