Wakkanai weather in March

In March, Wakkanai sees average daytime highs of 1°C and overnight lows near -3°C, with 54 mm of precipitation across 10.7 wet days and about 11.6 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 11th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about -1°C in the first days to 3°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 19% of the time in March, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 10 h 48 min at the start of March to 12 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, March is Wakkanai's 5th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Wakkanai's year-round climate.

Daytime high
9th warmest
Overnight low
-3°
4th coldest
Precipitation
54 mm
10.7 wet days
Daylight
11 h 36 min
5:55 AM – 5:31 PM
Cloud cover
67%
5th clearest
Wind
20 km/h
5th windiest
Solar energy
4.12 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 March

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about -1°C in the first days to 3°C by the end.

A typical March day in Wakkanai reaches about 1°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 5°C. Set against its neighbours, March runs about 4°C warmer than February and about 6°C cooler than April.

-10°-5°10°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
1-1-6
2-1-6
3-1-5
4-1-5
5-1-5
6-1-5
70-5
80-5
90-4
100-4
110-4
120-4
131-4
141-4
151-3
161-3
171-3
182-3
192-3
202-2
212-2
222-2
232-2
243-2
253-2
263-1
273-1
283-1
294-1
304-1
3140

How March really feels in Wakkanai

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

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

Wakkanai weather by month

How March compares with the rest of the year at a glance. March is the 9th-warmest and 11th-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 March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 19% of the time in March.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 20% of March, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 61%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13367
23367
33466
43466
53466
63367
73367
83466
93466
103466
113565
123565
133565
143763
153763
163862
173961
184060
194159
204258
214258
224357
234456
244456
254555
264555
274555
284555
294555
304555
314654

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitationSnow

Wakkanai gets around 54 mm of rain and snow over 10.7 wet days in March. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 35% and peaks near 36% on the wettest days, and about 12 days bring snow.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
13647
23646
33646
43646
53646
63645
73645
83645
93645
103644
113644
123643
133642
143641
153641
163640
173639
183538
193537
203436
213435
223434
233333
243332
253231
263230
273229
283128
293127
303126
313125

Humidity in March

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, March 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 March

Winds average 20 km/h in March.

Across March, 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
620breezy
720breezy
820breezy
920breezy
1020breezy
1120breezy
1220breezy
1320breezy
1420breezy
1520breezy
1620breezy
1720breezy
1820breezy
1920breezy
2020breezy
2120breezy
2220breezy
2320breezy
2420breezy
2520breezy
2620breezy
2720breezy
2820breezy
2920breezy
3020breezy
3120breezy

Sunrise & sunset in March

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 10 h 48 min at the start of March to 12 h 24 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 96 minutes over March. Sunrise moves from 6:23 AM to 5:26 AM, and sunset from 5:11 PM to 5:51 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.86:235:11
210.96:215:12
310.96:195:13
411.06:175:15
511.06:155:16
611.16:145:18
711.16:125:19
811.26:105:20
911.26:085:22
1011.36:065:23
1111.36:045:24
1211.46:025:26
1311.46:015:27
1411.55:595:28
1511.65:575:30
1611.65:555:31
1711.75:535:32
1811.75:515:34
1911.85:495:35
2011.85:475:36
2111.95:455:38
2211.95:435:39
2312.05:415:40
2412.05:395:42
2512.15:375:43
2612.25:355:44
2712.25:335:46
2812.35:315:47
2912.35:305:48
3012.45:285:50
3112.45:265:51

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 4.12 kWh/m².

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 — March's 4.12 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

024151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.4Moderate
23.4Moderate
33.5Moderate
43.5Moderate
53.6Moderate
63.6Moderate
73.7Moderate
83.7Moderate
93.8Moderate
103.8Moderate
113.9Moderate
123.9Moderate
134.0Moderate
144.0Bright
154.1Bright
164.1Bright
174.2Bright
184.2Bright
194.3Bright
204.3Bright
214.4Bright
224.4Bright
234.5Bright
244.5Bright
254.5Bright
264.6Bright
274.6Bright
284.7Bright
294.7Bright
304.7Bright
314.8Bright
Planning a trip in March

Is March a good time to visit Wakkanai?

Our two travel scores rate March 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

March is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Wakkanai.

What to pack for Wakkanai in March

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

In March, Wakkanai sees daytime highs around 1°C and nights near -3°C. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear and a windbreaker. About 11 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain geara windbreaker

Sea temperature near Wakkanai in March

The nearest coast averages about 4°C in March — 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 March

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in March peaks around 2. 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 March

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where March 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
March 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).