Wakkanai weather in December

In December, Wakkanai sees average daytime highs of -0°C and overnight lows near -4°C, with 76 mm of precipitation across 16.4 wet days and about 8.6 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 2°C in the first days to -2°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 3% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 8 h 48 min at the start of December to 8 h 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Wakkanai's 11th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Wakkanai's year-round climate.

Daytime high
-0°
10th warmest
Overnight low
-4°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
76 mm
16.4 wet days
Daylight
8 h 30 min
7:13 AM – 3:46 PM
Cloud cover
79%
11th clearest
Wind
23 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
1.29 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Wakkanai is city in Sōya Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan.

Density
44/km²
people per km²
Founded
1949

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

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 2°C in the first days to -2°C by the end.

A typical December day in Wakkanai reaches about -0°C in the afternoon and slips back to -4°C overnight — a 4°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between -4°C and 4°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 6°C cooler than November and about 3°C warmer than January.

-10°-5°10°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12-2
22-2
32-2
41-2
51-2
61-3
71-3
81-3
90-3
100-3
110-3
120-4
130-4
140-4
150-4
16-1-4
17-1-4
18-1-4
19-1-4
20-1-4
21-1-5
22-1-5
23-1-5
24-1-5
25-1-5
26-1-5
27-2-5
28-2-5
29-2-5
30-2-5
31-2-5

How December really feels in Wakkanai

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December 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
21 feel bitter (≤ -10°C)

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

Wakkanai weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan-3° / -7°5613.320.88.90.0
Feb-3° / -7°4310.515.710.10.0
Mar / -3°5410.71211.60.0
Apr / 589.74.413.20.8
May11° / 7110.30.514.72.9
Jun15° / 10°629.1015.44.6
Jul19° / 15°969.4015.16.0
Aug22° / 17°11510.7013.96.3
Sep19° / 14°11412012.35.8
Oct13° / 9613.50.110.73.5
Nov / 9114.89.49.30.6
Dec-0° / -4°7616.420.38.60.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 3% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 16% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 81%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12674
22575
32476
42476
52476
62377
72377
82377
92179
102179
112179
122080
132080
142080
151981
161981
171981
181882
191783
201783
211585
221585
231486
241486
251486
261486
271387
281387
291387
301387
311486

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Wakkanai gets around 76 mm of rain and snow over 16.4 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 52% and peaks near 57% on the wettest days, and about 20 days bring snow. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
15657
25758
35759
45760
55761
65762
75763
85764
95765
105766
115666
125567
135467
145367
155266
165166
175066
185066
194966
204966
214866
224866
234866
244766
254766
264766
274767
284767
294767
304768
314768

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 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 December

Winds average 23 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 22 km/h on the calmest days to 24 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0102030151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
124breezy
224breezy
324breezy
424breezy
524breezy
624breezy
724breezy
823breezy
923breezy
1023breezy
1123breezy
1223breezy
1323breezy
1423breezy
1523breezy
1623breezy
1723breezy
1823breezy
1922breezy
2022breezy
2122breezy
2222breezy
2322breezy
2422breezy
2522breezy
2622breezy
2722breezy
2822breezy
2922breezy
3022breezy
3122breezy

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 8 h 48 min at the start of December to 8 h 36 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 12 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 6:59 AM to 7:19 AM, and sunset from 3:47 PM to 3:54 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
18.86:593:47
28.87:013:46
38.77:023:46
48.77:033:46
58.77:043:46
68.77:053:45
78.77:063:45
88.67:073:45
98.67:083:45
108.67:083:45
118.67:093:45
128.67:103:45
138.67:113:45
148.67:123:45
158.67:123:46
168.57:133:46
178.57:143:46
188.57:143:46
198.57:153:47
208.57:163:47
218.57:163:47
228.57:173:48
238.57:173:48
248.57:183:49
258.57:183:49
268.57:183:50
278.57:193:51
288.57:193:51
298.67:193:52
308.67:193:53
318.67:193:54

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.29 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.29 kWh/m² to a high of 5.62 kWh/m² in May across the year — December's 1.29 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.52151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.4Dim
21.4Dim
31.3Dim
41.3Dim
51.3Dim
61.3Dim
71.3Dim
81.3Dim
91.3Dim
101.3Dim
111.3Dim
121.3Dim
131.3Dim
141.3Dim
151.3Dim
161.3Dim
171.3Dim
181.3Dim
191.3Dim
201.3Dim
211.3Dim
221.3Dim
231.3Dim
241.3Dim
251.3Dim
261.3Dim
271.4Dim
281.4Dim
291.4Dim
301.4Dim
311.4Dim
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Wakkanai?

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

0.0
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
7th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Wakkanai.

What to pack for Wakkanai in December

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

In December, Wakkanai sees daytime highs around -0°C and nights near -4°C. Pack a warm layer, a heavy coat and rain gear. Worth having: a windbreaker. About 16 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain geara windbreaker

Sea temperature near Wakkanai in December

The nearest coast averages about 7°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 20°C and coldest in February near 3°C.

The water stays below 20°C all year — cool enough that most swimmers want a wetsuit.

0°10°20°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshing
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan4Bracing
Feb3Bracing
Mar4Bracing
Apr6Bracing
May9Bracing
Jun12Bracing
Jul17Cool
Aug20Cool
Sep20Cool
Oct16Cool
Nov11Bracing
Dec7Bracing

UV index in Wakkanai in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 1. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Wakkanai peaks around August 13 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen and a hat are worth it in the middle of the day. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 1 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 7 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highModerateLowAug 13UV 8Dec 22UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Low
Mar2Moderate
Apr5Moderate
May7High
Jun6High
Jul7High
Aug8Very high
Sep5High
Oct3Moderate
Nov1Low
Dec1Low

Air quality in Wakkanai 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 Wakkanai is worst in April — around 15 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.1× the cleanest month (December, 5 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodApr 1115 µg/m³Dec 235 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan5Good
Feb9Good
Mar15Moderate
Apr15Moderate
May12Moderate
Jun7Good
Jul7Good
Aug7Good
Sep6Good
Oct8Good
Nov8Good
Dec5Good
Location & terrain

Where is Wakkanai?

Wakkanai sits at 45.4°N, 141.7°E, 7 m above sea level, in Japan. The nearest listed city is Makubetsu, 12 km away.

NayoroNevel’skMinamishibetsuchōKorsakovRumoiMombetsu

Topography around Wakkanai

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Wakkanai has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 206 m around an average of 49 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 208 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,669 m.

The land around Wakkanai is covered by trees (40%) and water (32%) within 3 km, water (68%) within 16 km, and water (74%) and trees (20%) within 80 km.

3 km
206 m
16 km
208 m
80 km
1,669 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: Makubetsu 12 km · Nayoro 133 km · Nevel’sk 142 km · Minamishibetsuchō 150 km · Korsakov 161 km · Rumoi 164 km · Mombetsu 177 km · Kholmsk 184 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 Wakkanai (45.4094°, 141.6739°, elevation 7 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. 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).