Yakushima weather in December

In December, Yakushima sees average daytime highs of 16°C and overnight lows near 14°C, with 114 mm of rain across 11.8 wet days and about 10.1 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 12th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 18°C in the first days to 15°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 22% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 10 h 12 min at the start of December to 10 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Yakushima's 8th-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Yakushima's year-round climate.

Daytime high
16°
10th warmest
Overnight low
14°
3rd coldest
Rainfall
114 mm
11.8 wet days
Daylight
10 hours
7:12 AM – 5:15 PM
Cloud cover
65%
8th clearest
Wind
29 km/h
3rd windiest
Solar energy
2.24 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.9
out of 10

Yakushima is human settlement in Japan.

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 18°C in the first days to 15°C by the end.

A typical December day in Yakushima reaches about 16°C in the afternoon and slips back to 14°C overnight — a 3°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 12°C and 20°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 4°C cooler than November and about 2°C warmer than January.

10°15°20°25°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
11816
21816
31815
41815
51815
61815
71715
81715
91714
101714
111714
121714
131714
141714
151614
161614
171614
181613
191613
201613
211613
221613
231613
241613
251613
261513
271513
281513
291513
301512
311512

How December really feels in Yakushima

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December 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

December sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Yakushima weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 12th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan14° / 12°12213.110.33.8
Feb15° / 12°12612.710.94.0
Mar17° / 14°18214.611.84.8
Apr19° / 17°19012.712.75.7
May22° / 20°21012.913.56.1
Jun25° / 23°43819.613.95.1
Jul27° / 26°17312.613.85.9
Aug28° / 27°14114.713.15.4
Sep27° / 25°23715.812.25.7
Oct24° / 22°1701311.36.5
Nov20° / 18°1491210.56.1
Dec16° / 14°11411.810.14.9

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

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

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 19% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 59%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14456
24258
34258
44258
54258
64060
74060
84060
94060
104060
114060
124159
134159
144159
154159
164159
174159
184159
194159
204159
214159
224060
234060
244060
254159
264060
274159
284060
293961
303961
313961

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Yakushima gets around 114 mm of rain over 11.8 wet days in December, the driest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 39% and peaks near 42% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
142
242
342
442
542
641
741
841
940
1040
1140
1239
1339
1439
1539
1638
1738
1838
1937
2037
2137
2236
2336
2436
2536
2636
2736
2836
2936
3036
3136

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 83% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
16721102
2692092
3701992
4721882
5741781
6761671
7771571
8781561
9791461
10801361
11821251
12831250
13831250
14831250
15841150
16851140
17851140
18851140
19851140
20851140
21871030
22871030
23871030
2488930
2588930
2690820
2790820
2891720
2991720
3092620
3193520

Wind in December

Winds average 29 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 28 km/h on the calmest days to 30 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0102030151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
128breezy
228breezy
328breezy
428breezy
528breezy
628breezy
728breezy
828breezy
928breezy
1028breezy
1128breezy
1228breezy
1329breezy
1429breezy
1529breezy
1629breezy
1729breezy
1829breezy
1929breezy
2029windy
2129windy
2229windy
2329windy
2429windy
2529windy
2630windy
2730windy
2830windy
2930windy
3030windy
3130windy

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 10 h 12 min at the start of December to 10 h 06 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 6 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 7:02 AM to 7:19 AM, and sunset from 5:13 PM to 5:22 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.27:025:13
210.27:035:13
310.27:035:13
410.17:045:13
510.17:055:13
610.17:065:13
710.17:065:13
810.17:075:13
910.17:085:13
1010.17:085:13
1110.17:095:14
1210.17:105:14
1310.17:105:14
1410.17:115:14
1510.17:125:15
1610.07:125:15
1710.07:135:15
1810.07:135:16
1910.07:145:16
2010.07:145:17
2110.07:155:17
2210.07:155:17
2310.07:165:18
2410.07:165:18
2510.07:175:19
2610.07:175:19
2710.07:175:20
2810.07:185:21
2910.17:185:21
3010.17:185:22
3110.17:195:22

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 2.24 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.24 kWh/m² to a high of 5.86 kWh/m² in July across the year — December's 2.24 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.4Moderate
22.3Moderate
32.3Moderate
42.3Moderate
52.3Moderate
62.3Moderate
72.3Moderate
82.3Moderate
92.2Moderate
102.2Moderate
112.2Moderate
122.2Moderate
132.2Moderate
142.2Moderate
152.2Moderate
162.2Moderate
172.2Moderate
182.2Moderate
192.2Moderate
202.3Moderate
212.3Moderate
222.3Moderate
232.3Moderate
242.3Moderate
252.3Moderate
262.3Moderate
272.3Moderate
282.3Moderate
292.3Moderate
302.4Moderate
312.4Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Yakushima

In seasonPeak

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

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

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

Is December a good time to visit Yakushima?

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

4.9
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
0.9
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Yakushima for sightseeing.

What to pack for Yakushima in December

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

In December, Yakushima sees daytime highs around 16°C and nights near 14°C. Pack a windbreaker. Worth having: a warm layer and rain gear. About 12 days see rain.

a windbreakera warm layerrain gear

Sea temperature near Yakushima in December

The nearest coast averages about 22°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 29°C and coldest in February near 20°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Feb 25 to Feb 7 — about 11.4 months when the water holds above 20°C.

20°25°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDeccoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan21Refreshing
Feb20Cool
Mar20Refreshing
Apr21Refreshing
May23Refreshing
Jun25Warm
Jul28Warm
Aug29Tropical
Sep28Warm
Oct26Warm
Nov24Warm
Dec22Refreshing

UV index in Yakushima in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 4 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Yakushima peaks around June 22 at about 11 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 10 at about 4 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highExtremeVery highHighModerateJun 22UV 11Jan 10UV 4
UV index (midday)Level
Jan4Moderate
Feb6High
Mar7Very high
Apr9Very high
May9Very high
Jun11Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug10Very high
Sep10Extreme
Oct7High
Nov5High
Dec4Moderate

Air quality in Yakushima 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 Yakushima is worst in April — around 21 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.1× the cleanest month (July, 10 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodApr 1420 µg/m³Jul 2010 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan13Moderate
Feb16Moderate
Mar20Moderate
Apr21Moderate
May19Moderate
Jun13Moderate
Jul10Good
Aug11Good
Sep10Good
Oct10Good
Nov11Good
Dec10Good
Location & terrain

Where is Yakushima?

Yakushima sits at 30.4°N, 130.6°E, 0 m above sea level, in Japan. The nearest listed city is Nishinoomote, 51 km away.

Topography around Yakushima

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Yakushima has large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 608 m around an average of 81 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,916 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,893 m.

The land around Yakushima is covered by trees (54%) and water (44%) within 3 km, water (67%) and trees (33%) within 16 km, and water (93%) within 80 km.

3 km
608 m
16 km
1,916 m
80 km
1,893 m
treesgrasslandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: Nishinoomote 51 km · Ibusuki 94 km · Makurazaki 103 km · Minamikyushu 108 km · Kanoya 112 km · Minamisatsuma 117 km · Kaseda-shirakame 119 km · Tarumizu 122 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 Yakushima (30.388°, 130.6492°, elevation 0 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).