Sapporo weather in December

Japan · long-term averages 2001–2025 · full-year climate of Sapporo

Average high
0 °C31 °F
Average low
−6 °C22 °F
Precipitation
130 mm5.1 in
Daylight
9.0 h
Humidity
93%
Cloud amount
92%

In December, Sapporo has an average high of 0 °C31 °F and an average low of −6 °C22 °F, with about 130 mm5.1 in of precipitation. It is the 10th warmest month of the year and ranks 3rd for precipitation.

How December compares with other months

Compared with November, December is 6.7 °C12.1 °F cooler on average. Compared with January, December is 2.3 °C4.2 °F warmer on average and wetter by 27 mm1.0 in. Daylight lasts about 9.0 hours around the middle of the month. Average relative humidity is 93% and the average cloud amount 92%.

Is December a good time to visit Sapporo?

December is not among the most comfortable months by our comfort score: it is cool (average high 0 °C31 °F), nights are cold (average low −6 °C22 °F) and it is fairly wet (130 mm5.1 in). The most comfortable months in Sapporo are June.

What to wear in December

For Sapporo in December, pack a winter coat, hat, gloves and warm, non-slip boots, shoes with good grip, as frost is common and an umbrella or light rain jacket.

December in nearby places

December averages in nearby places
PlaceHigh °C°FLow °C°FPrecip. mmin
Sapporo031−6221305.1
Tomakomai236−229943.7
Asahikawa−229−818923.6
Obihiro031−917712.8
Hakodate236−1301074.2
Kitami−130−719692.7
Kushiro134−524622.4
Aomori4390321465.8
Hirosaki337−2281445.7

Nearby places that are more than 1 °C1.8 °F warmer in December: Tomakomai, Hakodate, Kushiro and Aomori; cooler: Asahikawa, Obihiro and Kitami.

Other months in Sapporo

  • January−2 °C28 °F / −8 °C17 °F
  • February−2 °C29 °F / −8 °C17 °F
  • March2 °C36 °F / −5 °C24 °F
  • April9 °C49 °F / 1 °C34 °F
  • May17 °C62 °F / 7 °C44 °F
  • June21 °C70 °F / 12 °C53 °F
  • July25 °C77 °F / 16 °C61 °F
  • August26 °C78 °F / 18 °C64 °F
  • September22 °C71 °F / 14 °C56 °F
  • October15 °C59 °F / 7 °C44 °F
  • November7 °C44 °F / 1 °C33 °F
  • December0 °C31 °F / −6 °C22 °F

Frequently asked questions

How warm is Sapporo in December?

In December the average high in Sapporo is 0 °C (31 °F) and the average low is -6 °C (22 °F).

Does it rain a lot in Sapporo in December?

On average about 130 mm (5.1 in) of precipitation falls in December; it ranks 3rd of the 12 months.

Is December the warmest month in Sapporo?

No. The warmest month in Sapporo is August, with an average high of 26 °C (78 °F). The coldest month is February, with an average low of -8 °C (17 °F).

How long is the day in Sapporo in December?

In the middle of December the day in Sapporo lasts about 9.0 hours from sunrise to sunset. The value is calculated from the position of the city and the sun.

How humid is Sapporo in December?

The average relative humidity in December is about 93%. This is a long-term average for the whole day.

How cloudy is Sapporo in December?

On average about 92% of the sky is covered by cloud in December. This is the mean cloud amount from satellite data, not the number of sunny days.

About this data

All figures are 25-year averages (January 2001 – December 2025) from the NASA POWER project. Temperature, humidity, wind and precipitation come from the MERRA-2 reanalysis (precipitation is the bias-corrected MERRA-2 product), cloud and solar values from CERES satellite data. They describe a grid cell of roughly 50–70 km, not a single weather station, so they can differ from airport records — most of all on coasts, in mountains and for rainfall. Average highs and lows are the monthly mean temperature plus/minus half of the average daily temperature range. Counts of rainy days are not part of this dataset.

The grid cell’s average elevation is 279 m, while Sapporo lies at about 26 m. Temperatures on this page were therefore adjusted by +1.6 °C3 °F using the standard lapse rate of 6.5 °C per 1,000 m.