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Hokkaido weather by month: 10 places, snow and what to wear

Across 10 places in Hokkaido, the average high in January runs from −3.7°C (25°F) in Furano to 0.9°C (34°F) in Hakodate, and in August from 21.5°C (71°F) in Kushiro to 26.6°C (80°F) in Asahikawa (JMA, 1991–2020). Snow lies on the ground for 5 days or more from November to April in Kutchan, the snowiest place here.

Average high in Hokkaido, month by month

Average daily high (°C) for 1991–2020 from the JMA station in each place. Months with a page are linked.

Average high by month in 10 places in Hokkaido (°C, JMA 1991–2020)
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Sapporo−0.40.44.511.717.921.825.426.422.816.48.72.0
Hakodate0.91.85.812.017.020.424.125.923.217.110.03.2
Asahikawa−3.3−1.73.011.218.822.826.226.621.914.96.2−0.8
Otaru−0.50.24.110.916.920.424.225.622.315.98.31.6
Kutchan−2.0−1.03.09.816.920.924.425.421.715.06.90.0
Furano−3.7−2.32.710.918.422.926.226.321.914.96.4−1.2
Obihiro−1.5−0.24.812.218.221.324.325.422.015.98.41.0
Kushiro−0.2−0.13.38.012.615.819.621.520.115.18.92.5
Abashiri−2.2−2.02.39.114.617.721.423.320.715.07.60.7
Wakkanai−2.4−2.01.67.412.416.120.122.320.114.16.30.0

Average low in Hokkaido, month by month

Average low by month in 10 places in Hokkaido (°C, JMA 1991–2020)
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Sapporo−6.4−6.2−2.43.49.013.417.919.114.88.01.6−4.0
Hakodate−6.0−5.7−2.22.88.012.617.318.914.67.81.8−3.6
Asahikawa−11.7−11.8−6.10.26.112.016.416.911.74.4−1.5−8.0
Otaru−5.8−5.7−2.42.67.912.517.118.414.37.91.6−3.8
Kutchan−9.6−9.4−5.70.16.011.316.116.711.34.5−1.0−6.8
Furano−14.4−14.0−7.8−0.26.011.516.016.311.14.1−2.1−10.2
Obihiro−13.0−12.0−5.40.86.210.815.116.512.75.3−1.1−8.9
Kushiro−9.8−9.4−4.20.75.49.513.615.712.96.1−0.3−7.0
Abashiri−8.9−9.6−4.90.65.810.214.616.613.47.00.4−6.0
Wakkanai−6.4−6.7−3.11.86.310.414.917.214.48.41.3−4.2

Wet days in Hokkaido, month by month

Days with 1 mm or more of rain or snow, 1991–2020 averages (JMA).

Wet days by month in 10 places in Hokkaido (days, JMA 1991–2020)
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Sapporo18.316.013.99.68.57.57.79.510.211.614.616.0
Hakodate15.012.712.49.59.57.38.89.110.211.313.615.8
Asahikawa17.114.213.310.09.88.610.410.512.014.218.221.1
Otaru22.818.616.110.09.07.48.39.611.314.118.121.7
Kutchan24.521.317.011.09.88.08.69.911.914.319.924.7
Furano14.312.313.511.911.09.910.911.712.814.417.917.2
Obihiro4.84.35.97.68.28.29.410.310.07.56.46.1
Kushiro4.84.26.37.89.28.49.410.29.67.56.96.2
Abashiri13.39.18.78.49.68.99.310.010.59.610.111.6
Wakkanai19.815.912.28.88.97.97.99.110.814.017.120.9

Snow season in Hokkaido

Days with snow on the ground in each month (1 cm or more; 5 cm or more at AMeDAS stations), 1991–2020 averages (JMA).

Days with snow on the ground by month in Hokkaido (JMA 1991–2020)
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Sapporo31.028.329.45.1000000.37.226.7
Hakodate29.426.916.10.70000004.421.4
Asahikawa31.028.330.38.80.100000.814.430.0
Otaru31.028.330.58.9000000.18.428.9
Kutchan31.028.331.017.5000000.514.430.5
FuranoAMeDAS30.928.329.45.6000000.29.328.4
Obihiro30.928.224.72.90.2000003.924.3
Kushiro24.825.316.32.40.1000001.413.5
Abashiri30.928.328.86.50.500000.15.525.9
Wakkanai31.028.227.54.8000000.110.727.8

Months with snow on the ground for 5 days or more:

  • Sapporo: November to April
  • Hakodate: December to March
  • Asahikawa: November to April
  • Otaru: November to April
  • Kutchan: November to April
  • Furano: November to April
  • Obihiro: December to March
  • Kushiro: December to March
  • Abashiri: November to April
  • Wakkanai: November to March

What to wear in Hokkaido, month by month

Clothing level by month (from the average high, our own rules)
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
SapporoFreezingFreezingFreezingChillyCoolMildWarmWarmMildCoolColdFreezing
HakodateFreezingFreezingColdChillyCoolMildMildWarmMildCoolChillyFreezing
AsahikawaFreezingFreezingFreezingChillyCoolMildWarmWarmMildChillyColdFreezing
OtaruFreezingFreezingFreezingChillyCoolMildMildWarmMildCoolColdFreezing
KutchanFreezingFreezingFreezingColdCoolMildMildWarmMildCoolColdFreezing
FuranoFreezingFreezingFreezingChillyCoolMildWarmWarmMildChillyColdFreezing
ObihiroFreezingFreezingFreezingChillyCoolMildMildWarmMildCoolColdFreezing
KushiroFreezingFreezingFreezingColdChillyCoolCoolMildMildCoolColdFreezing
AbashiriFreezingFreezingFreezingColdChillyCoolMildMildMildCoolColdFreezing
WakkanaiFreezingFreezingFreezingColdChillyCoolMildMildMildChillyColdFreezing

Best months for walking around Hokkaido

Months with an average high of 15°C to 25°C and fewer than 10 wet days, place by place:

  • Sapporo: May and June
  • Hakodate: May, June and July
  • Asahikawa: May and June
  • Otaru: May, June and July
  • Kutchan: May, June and July
  • Furano: June
  • Obihiro: May, June, July and October
  • Kushiro: June, July, September and October
  • Abashiri: June, July and October
  • Wakkanai: June, July and August

Frequently asked questions

When is the best time to visit Hokkaido?

For walking around, the months with an average high of 15°C to 25°C and fewer than 10 wet days are May and June in Sapporo. In Hokkaido as a whole, Obihiro has the most such months (May, June, July and October).

What is the coldest month in Hokkaido?

January in most places. The average high in January runs from −3.7°C (25°F) in Furano to 0.9°C in Hakodate (JMA, 1991–2020).

When is there snow in Hokkaido?

Snow lies on the ground for 5 days or more in an average month from November to April in Sapporo, from December to March in Hakodate, from November to April in Asahikawa and from November to April in Otaru (JMA, 1991–2020).

Month pages for Hokkaido

Related items

Hokkaido in JanuaryClothes: Freezing in all 10 places.Warmest0.9°C HakodateColdest−3.7°C FuranoDeepest snow155 cm KutchanPlaces10Hokkaido in FebruaryClothes: Freezing in all 10 places.Warmest1.8°C HakodateColdest−2.3°C FuranoDeepest snow181 cm KutchanPlaces10Hokkaido in MarchClothes: Freezing in 9 and Cold in 1.Warmest5.8°C HakodateColdest1.6°C WakkanaiDeepest snow170 cm KutchanPlaces10Kyushu by month8 places, January to December.Coldest7.3°C Jan YufuinHottest33.3°C Aug KumamotoPlaces8Shikoku by month4 places, January to December.Coldest9.7°C Jan TakamatsuHottest33.0°C Aug TakamatsuPlaces4

Back to Japan by month

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Sources for this page

  1. Normals for 1991–2020: Sapporo (札幌), month by month (平年値 年・月ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
  2. Normals for 1991–2020: Hakodate (函館), month by month (平年値 年・月ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
  3. Normals for 1991–2020: Asahikawa (旭川), month by month (平年値 年・月ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
  4. Normals for 1991–2020: Otaru (小樽), month by month (平年値 年・月ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
  5. Normals for 1991–2020: Kutchan (倶知安), month by month (平年値 年・月ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
  6. Normals for 1991–2020: Furano (富良野), month by month (平年値 年・月ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
  7. Normals for 1991–2020: Obihiro (帯広), month by month (平年値 年・月ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
  8. Normals for 1991–2020: Kushiro (釧路), month by month (平年値 年・月ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
  9. Normals for 1991–2020: Abashiri (網走), month by month (平年値 年・月ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
  10. Normals for 1991–2020: Wakkanai (稚内), month by month (平年値 年・月ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)