Winter is the perfect time to visit Hokkaido! January's must-see destinations in Hokkaido! - Part 4 Hokkaido Lab ~A comprehensive Hokkaido travel guide to enjoy gourmet food, nature, and culture~

Winter offers plenty of attractions to visit! Hokkaido travel in January: Highlights!

: Post

: Last updated: September 12, 2018

Table of contents

4. Weather and temperature in Hokkaido in January

4. Weather and temperature in Hokkaido in January

Hokkaido trip in January Image provided by: Knox cram school
Rain and temperature maps for various regions of Japan

In the vast Hokkaido region, the weather can vary so much from one end to the other that it's almost like being in a different country.

The same applies to temperature. On the Sea of Japan side, there are many snowy days, while on the Pacific side, such as Kutchan and Otaru, which have many sunny days, the amount of snowfall is completely different.
This is because a winter-type pressure pattern, known as high pressure in the west and low pressure in the east, will continue.

If you're asking which side is colder, the Pacific side is overwhelmingly colder because radiative cooling occurs, where heat from the Earth's surface escapes into the upper atmosphere.
With minimum temperatures dropping to minus 30°C inland, this presents a great opportunity for diamond dust to form.

Regarding snow, the amount of snowfall in Sapporo and other areas varies from year to year.
While there are years when the waves exceed 2 meters, on the Okhotsk Sea side they are around 1 meter. In the eastern Hokkaido region on the Pacific side, it's not uncommon for them to be around 50 cm in some years.

Instead, strong winds cause a phenomenon called a ground blizzard, where snow is whipped into the air.
In some cases, cars get stuck in the snowdrifts created by this, rendering them immobile. In the Sorachi region, where this is most common, years with snowfall exceeding 4 meters are not uncommon.

Next page 5. Weather and temperature in Hokkaido in January