Yamada weather in December

In December, Yamada sees average daytime highs of 7°C and overnight lows near 3°C, with 80 mm of precipitation across 9.6 wet days and about 9.3 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 8°C in the first days to 5°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 46% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 24 min at the start of December to 9 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Yamada's 3rd-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Yamada's year-round climate.

Daytime high
9th warmest
Overnight low
4th coldest
Precipitation
80 mm
9.6 wet days
Daylight
9 h 12 min
6:51 AM – 4:05 PM
Cloud cover
49%
3rd clearest
Wind
21 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
2.04 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.7
out of 10

Yamada is town in Shimohei District, Iwate Prefecture, Japan.

Density
58/km²
people per km²
Founded
1889

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 8°C in the first days to 5°C by the end.

A typical December day in Yamada reaches about 7°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 11°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 5°C cooler than November and about 3°C warmer than January.

-5°10°15°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
195
295
384
484
584
684
784
884
973
1073
1173
1273
1373
1473
1562
1662
1762
1862
1962
2062
2162
2262
2362
2452
2551
2651
2751
2851
2951
3051
3151

How December really feels in Yamada

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 27 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
27
wind chill below the day's low

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

Yamada weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 9th-warmest and 10th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / -1°739.14.89.50.0
Feb / -1°648.85.510.40.0
Mar / 10511.35.511.70.2
Apr / 10610.61131.7
May13° / 10°11810.9014.13.4
Jun16° / 14°13012.1014.74.6
Jul20° / 18°15914.3014.55.5
Aug22° / 20°16712.9013.56.1
Sep20° / 18°20113.8012.35.6
Oct16° / 13°17511.40115.1
Nov12° / 849.50.29.83.1
Dec / 809.62.69.30.7

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 46% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 17% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 36%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16238
26238
36337
46238
56238
66238
76238
86337
96337
106238
116337
126337
136238
146238
156337
166337
176337
186337
196436
206436
216436
226436
236535
246535
256535
266634
276634
286634
296634
306634
316832

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Yamada gets around 80 mm of rain and snow over 9.6 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 31% and peaks near 33% on the wettest days, and about 3 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1313
2313
3314
4314
5305
6305
7315
8316
9316
10316
11327
12327
13328
14338
15338
16339
17339
183310
193310
203310
213210
223210
233111
243111
253011
262911
272911
282811
292711
302711
312611

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 21 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 20 km/h on the calmest days to 22 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
120breezy
220breezy
320breezy
420breezy
520breezy
620breezy
720breezy
820breezy
920breezy
1020breezy
1121breezy
1221breezy
1321breezy
1421breezy
1521breezy
1621breezy
1721breezy
1821breezy
1921breezy
2021breezy
2121breezy
2221breezy
2322breezy
2422breezy
2522breezy
2622breezy
2722breezy
2822breezy
2922breezy
3022breezy
3122breezy

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 24 min at the start of December to 9 h 18 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 6:39 AM to 6:58 AM, and sunset from 4:05 PM to 4:13 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.46:394:05
29.46:404:04
39.46:414:04
49.46:424:04
59.36:434:04
69.36:444:04
79.36:454:04
89.36:464:04
99.36:464:04
109.36:474:04
119.36:484:04
129.36:494:04
139.36:494:04
149.26:504:05
159.26:514:05
169.26:514:05
179.26:524:06
189.26:534:06
199.26:534:06
209.26:544:07
219.26:544:07
229.26:554:08
239.26:554:08
249.26:564:09
259.26:564:09
269.26:564:10
279.26:574:10
289.26:574:11
299.26:574:11
309.26:584:12
319.36:584:13

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 2.04 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.04 kWh/m² to a high of 5.45 kWh/m² in May across the year — December's 2.04 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.1Moderate
22.1Moderate
32.1Moderate
42.1Moderate
52.1Moderate
62.0Moderate
72.0Moderate
82.0Moderate
92.0Moderate
102.0Moderate
112.0Moderate
122.0Moderate
132.0Moderate
142.0Moderate
152.0Moderate
162.0Moderate
172.0Moderate
182.1Moderate
192.1Moderate
202.1Moderate
212.1Moderate
222.1Moderate
232.1Moderate
242.1Moderate
252.1Moderate
262.1Moderate
272.2Moderate
282.2Moderate
292.2Moderate
302.2Moderate
312.2Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Yamada

In seasonPeak

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

Yamada 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 Yamada?

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

0.7
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Yamada.

What to pack for Yamada in December

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

In December, Yamada sees daytime highs around 7°C and nights near 3°C. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: a heavy coat, rain gear and a windbreaker. About 10 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain geara windbreaker

Sea temperature near Yamada in December

The nearest coast averages about 13°C in December — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 18 km away) is warmest in August at about 22°C and coldest in March near 7°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 31 to Sep 27 — about 1.9 months when the water holds above 20°C.

5°10°15°20°25°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan10Bracing
Feb8Bracing
Mar7Bracing
Apr8Bracing
May11Bracing
Jun15Cool
Jul19Cool
Aug22Refreshing
Sep21Refreshing
Oct18Cool
Nov16Cool
Dec13Bracing

UV index in Yamada in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

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

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Yamada peaks around August 19 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 1 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighVery highHighModerateLowAug 19UV 9Jan 1UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun7Very high
Jul6High
Aug9Very high
Sep7Very high
Oct5Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Yamada 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 Yamada is worst in April — around 20 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.2× the cleanest month (December, 9 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodApr 1320 µg/m³Dec 169 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb14Moderate
Mar19Moderate
Apr20Moderate
May18Moderate
Jun13Moderate
Jul12Good
Aug10Good
Sep10Good
Oct11Good
Nov10Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Yamada?

Yamada sits at 39.5°N, 141.9°E, 4 m above sea level, in Japan. The nearest listed city is Miyako, 20 km away.

Topography around Yamada

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Yamada has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 303 m around an average of 63 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,116 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,869 m.

The land around Yamada is covered by trees (59%) and water (26%) within 3 km, trees (63%) and water (33%) within 16 km, and trees (58%) and water (36%) within 80 km.

3 km
303 m
16 km
1,116 m
80 km
1,869 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Miyako 20 km · Kamaishi 22 km · Tōno 40 km · Ōfunato 48 km · Rikuzen-Takata 56 km · Hizume 68 km · Kesennuma 71 km · Yahaba 71 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 Yamada (39.4667°, 141.95°, elevation 4 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).