Tohoku in December: 7 places compared
Averages for 1991–2020 from the JMA station in each place. Tap a heading to sort.
- The most wet days (1 mm or more of rain or snow) are in Akita (21.3 days), the fewest in Sendai (5.6 days).
- Precipitation ranges from 44.1 mm in Sendai to 159.8 mm in Akita.
- Sendai gets the most sunshine (136 hours in the month) and Akita the least (45 hours).
- Every place here is colder than Tokyo, where the average high in December is 12.0°C.
Early, mid and late December in Tohoku
Average high and low for each ten days of December (JMA ten-day normals, 1991–2020).
| Place (JMA station) | 1–10 (°C) | 11–20 (°C) | 21–31 (°C) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sendai | 9.9low 2.2 | 8.0low 0.7 | 7.2low 0.0 |
| Aomori | 6.1low −0.2 | 4.0low −1.7 | 3.4low −2.3 |
| Morioka | 6.2low −1.2 | 4.0low −2.8 | 3.3low −3.4 |
| Akita | 7.5low 1.2 | 5.5low −0.2 | 4.8low −0.9 |
| Yamagata | 8.0low 0.5 | 5.7low −0.8 | 4.8low −1.7 |
| Fukushima | 10.2low 2.0 | 8.3low 0.5 | 7.3low −0.2 |
| Aizu-Wakamatsu | 7.6low 0.5 | 5.4low −0.9 | 4.2low −2.0 |
In Sendai, the average high is 9.9°C in the first ten days of December, 8.0°C in the middle ten and 7.2°C in the last ten.
Every place here is at least 2°C colder by the end of December than at the start.
Snow in Tohoku in December
Snowfall is the total for the month; deepest snow is the average of each year's deepest (JMA, 1991–2020).
- The deepest snow is in Aomori (51 cm), then Aizu-Wakamatsu (34 cm) and Yamagata (26 cm).
- Bring waterproof shoes with a good grip for Aomori, Morioka, Akita, Yamagata, Fukushima and Aizu-Wakamatsu: snow lies on the ground for 5 days or more.
- Snow does not usually lie for long in Sendai, but snow or sleet falls on 3.0 days or more.
What to wear in Tohoku in December
How we choose: from the JMA's average high and low for December, by our own rules.
Is Tohoku cold in December?
Yes, it is cold. Sendai, the main city, averages 8.3°C (47°F) by day and 0.9°C (34°F) at night in December. It gets colder still: 11–20 January has highs of 5.4°C.
In December the clothing level runs from Freezing in Aomori and Morioka to Cold in Sendai, Akita, Yamagata, Fukushima and Aizu-Wakamatsu, so pack for the coldest place on your route.
| Level | Average high | What to wear | Places |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold | 5 to 10°C | A winter coat over layers, and a scarf. | Sendai 8.3°C, Akita 5.9°C, Yamagata 6.1°C, Fukushima 8.6°C and Aizu-Wakamatsu 5.7°C |
| Freezing | under 5°C | A heavy winter coat (down or similar), thermal underwear, a hat, gloves and a scarf. | Aomori 4.5°C and Morioka 4.5°C |
- Gloves and a warm hat: the low drops below 0°C on 10 nights or more in every place here.
Flowers and autumn colour in Tohoku in December
Dates are for one sample tree at or near the JMA observatory, not for every park in the city.
Holidays and crowds in Tohoku in December
There are no national holidays in December 2026.
- Miyagi Prefecture57.4%
- Aomori Prefecture52.8%
- Iwate Prefecture46.8%
- Fukushima Prefecture45.0%
- Yamagata Prefecture43.2%
- Akita Prefecture38.3%
More on Tohoku and December
One place in December
Tohoku in other months
Other regions in December
Frequently asked questions
What is the weather like in Tohoku in December?
In December, average highs across 7 places in Tohoku run from 4.5°C (40°F) in Aomori to 8.6°C (47°F) in Fukushima (JMA, 1991–2020). Sendai, the main city, averages 8.3°C by day and 0.9°C at night. Snow lies on the ground for 5 days or more in 6 of the 7 places, and the deepest snow averages 51 cm in Aomori.
What should I wear in Tohoku in December?
Freezing (Aomori and Morioka): A heavy winter coat (down or similar), thermal underwear, a hat, gloves and a scarf. Cold (Sendai, Akita, Yamagata, Fukushima and Aizu-Wakamatsu): A winter coat over layers, and a scarf.
Is Tohoku cold in December?
Yes, it is cold. Sendai, the main city, averages 8.3°C (47°F) by day and 0.9°C (34°F) at night in December. It gets colder still: 11–20 January has highs of 5.4°C.
Is there snow in Tohoku in December?
Yes. Snow lies on the ground for 5 days or more in an average December in Aomori, Morioka, Akita, Yamagata, Fukushima and Aizu-Wakamatsu (JMA, 1991–2020). The deepest snow averages 51 cm in Aomori.
Where is the warmest place in Tohoku in December?
Fukushima, with an average high of 8.6°C (47°F). Next are Sendai (8.3°C) and Yamagata (6.1°C). The coldest is Morioka (4.5°C).
What events are on in Tohoku in December?
SENDAI Pageant of Starlight (Sendai) and Hakkoda Maru Countdown Event (Aomori). Dates and official pages are on each place's month page.
December records in Tohoku
The highest and lowest temperatures ever recorded in December at each JMA station, with the date.
| Place (JMA station) | Highest (°C) | Lowest (°C) | Deepest snow (cm) | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sendai | 21.81 December 1990 | −10.820 December 1928 | 3425 December 1976 | 1926 |
| Aomori | 21.117 December 1929 | −20.628 December 1935 | 13028 December 1897 | 1882 |
| Morioka | 17.91 December 1990 | −17.718 December 1944 | 7626 December 2005 | 1923 |
| Akita | 21.44 December 1890 | −18.731 December 1917 | 5825 December 2005 | 1882 |
| Yamagata | 20.69 December 1890 | −15.023 December 1898 | 8231 December 1937 | 1889 |
| Fukushima | 22.42 December 1953 | −13.526 December 1926 | 4230 December 2018 | 1889 |
| Aizu-Wakamatsu | 20.91 December 1990 | −14.431 December 1967 | 11526 December 2010 | 1953 |
The hottest December day on record here was 22.4°C (72°F) in Fukushima on 2 December 1953.
The coldest was −20.6°C (−5°F) in Aomori on 28 December 1935.
What's on in Tohoku in December
Events in the places that have their own month page. Dates, venues and the organisers' official pages are on each place's page.
Sendai
- SENDAI Pageant of Starlight
Aomori
- Hakkoda Maru Countdown Event
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Sources for this page
Show all 26
- Normals for 1991–2020: Sendai (仙台), month by month (平年値 年・月ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Normals for 1991–2020: Aomori (青森), month by month (平年値 年・月ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Normals for 1991–2020: Morioka (盛岡), month by month (平年値 年・月ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Normals for 1991–2020: Akita (秋田), month by month (平年値 年・月ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Normals for 1991–2020: Yamagata (山形), month by month (平年値 年・月ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Normals for 1991–2020: Fukushima (福島), month by month (平年値 年・月ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Normals for 1991–2020: Aizu-Wakamatsu (若松), month by month (平年値 年・月ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Ten-day normals for 1991–2020: Sendai (仙台) (平年値 旬ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Ten-day normals for 1991–2020: Aomori (青森) (平年値 旬ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Ten-day normals for 1991–2020: Morioka (盛岡) (平年値 旬ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Ten-day normals for 1991–2020: Akita (秋田) (平年値 旬ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Ten-day normals for 1991–2020: Yamagata (山形) (平年値 旬ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Ten-day normals for 1991–2020: Fukushima (福島) (平年値 旬ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Ten-day normals for 1991–2020: Aizu-Wakamatsu (若松) (平年値 旬ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Records for December: Sendai (仙台) (観測史上1〜10位の値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Records for December: Aomori (青森) (観測史上1〜10位の値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Records for December: Morioka (盛岡) (観測史上1〜10位の値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Records for December: Akita (秋田) (観測史上1〜10位の値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Records for December: Yamagata (山形) (観測史上1〜10位の値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Records for December: Fukushima (福島) (観測史上1〜10位の値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Records for December: Aizu-Wakamatsu (若松) (観測史上1〜10位の値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- National holidays (国民の祝日について)Cabinet Office
- Overnight Travel Statistics Survey, 2025 final figures (宿泊旅行統計調査 2025年 年の確定値)Japan Tourism Agency
- Maple leaves turning red, 2025–2026 (かえでの紅葉日)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Yearly records of flowering and leaf colour since 1953 (生物季節観測累年値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Ginkgo leaves turning yellow, 2025–2026 (いちょうの黄葉日)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)