Best time to visit Yamagata
The best time to visit Yamagata is May, judged on twenty years of weather records and the events worth going for.
Yamagata, Yamagata, Japan
°C
mm
- Average daily high and low
- Precipitation
- Good month
- Best month
- Made good or best by an event
| Month | Average daily high | Average daily low | Precipitation | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 1.3 °C / 34 °F | -5.1 °C / 23 °F | 119 mm / 4.7 in | neither best nor good |
| February | 2.5 °C / 37 °F | -4.7 °C / 24 °F | 95 mm / 3.7 in | neither best nor good |
| March | 7.1 °C / 45 °F | -1.3 °C / 30 °F | 111 mm / 4.4 in | neither best nor good |
| April | 13.5 °C / 56 °F | 3.6 °C / 38 °F | 103 mm / 4.1 in | neither best nor good |
| May | 19.5 °C / 67 °F | 9.7 °C / 49 °F | 89 mm / 3.5 in | best month |
| June | 23.1 °C / 74 °F | 14.9 °C / 59 °F | 116 mm / 4.6 in | good month |
| July | 26.4 °C / 80 °F | 19.5 °C / 67 °F | 184 mm / 7.3 in | neither best nor good |
| August | 28 °C / 82 °F | 20.6 °C / 69 °F | 145 mm / 5.7 in | neither best nor good |
| September | 23.8 °C / 75 °F | 16.1 °C / 61 °F | 126 mm / 5 in | good month |
| October | 17.5 °C / 64 °F | 9 °C / 48 °F | 118 mm / 4.7 in | good month |
| November | 11.2 °C / 52 °F | 2.8 °C / 37 °F | 95 mm / 3.8 in | neither best nor good |
| December | 4.3 °C / 40 °F | -2 °C / 28 °F | 142 mm / 5.6 in | neither best nor good |
Good and best months depend on more than temperature, rain and events. How they are chosen
Each activity on this page has its own good and best months, rated on twenty years of daily weather records. Which measures count, and how much, depends on the activity: humidity for exploring outdoors, wind for the beach, hiking and skiing, snow for skiing alone. Between them, the activities are rated on:
- Daytime highs
- Night-time lows
- How warm it feels
- Humidity
- How much of the day is sunny
- Hours of daylight
- Monthly rainfall
- How many days it rains
- Days of heavy rain
- Wind
- Snowfall and days with snow
- Major events, such as festivals
The chart shows the good and best months for exploring outdoors.
The event icon marks a month that an event lifts to good or best, such as a festival or a natural spectacle. Choose “Weather only” in the toolbar to rate the months on weather alone.
Best months by activity
Exploring outdoors
Mild days and nights, mostly dry and bright. The default for 'when should I go'.
- JJanuary: neither
- FFebruary: neither
- MMarch: neither
- AApril: neither
- MMay: best
- JJune: good
- JJuly: neither
- AAugust: neither
- SSeptember: good
- OOctober: good
- NNovember: neither
- DDecember: neither
- Best
- May
- Good
- June, September–October
Why these months
May · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 18.6 °C / 65 °F, average daily high 19.5 °C / 67 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 63%, precipitation 89 mm / 3.5 in, days with heavy rain 2.6 days, average daily low 9.7 °C / 49 °F, wet days 11.9 days, relative humidity 73%.
June · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 24.3 °C / 76 °F, average daily high 23.1 °C / 74 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 60%, precipitation 116 mm / 4.6 in, average daily low 14.9 °C / 59 °F, days with heavy rain 3.8 days.
Against: wet days 12.5 days, relative humidity 79%.
September · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 25.5 °C / 78 °F, average daily high 23.8 °C / 75 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 60%, precipitation 126 mm / 5 in, average daily low 16.1 °C / 61 °F, days with heavy rain 4.2 days.
Against: wet days 12.7 days, relative humidity 83%.
October · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 16.4 °C / 62 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 66%, average daily high 17.5 °C / 64 °F, precipitation 118 mm / 4.7 in, days with heavy rain 3.2 days, average daily low 9 °C / 48 °F, wet days 11.8 days.
Against: relative humidity 82%.
Hiking and trekking
Cool enough to climb in, dry enough to enjoy, long enough days.
- JJanuary: neither
- FFebruary: neither
- MMarch: neither
- AApril: best
- MMay: best
- JJune: good
- JJuly: neither
- AAugust: neither
- SSeptember: neither
- OOctober: best
- NNovember: good
- DDecember: neither
- Best
- April–May, October
- Good
- June, November
Why these months
April · best
In its favour: average daily high 13.5 °C / 56 °F, precipitation 103 mm / 4.1 in, feels like (high) 11 °C / 52 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 69%, daylight per day 13.2 h, average daily low 3.6 °C / 38 °F, days with heavy rain 3.6 days, wind (daily max) 15 km/h / 9 mph.
Against: wet days 13.8 days.
May · best
In its favour: average daily high 19.5 °C / 67 °F, precipitation 89 mm / 3.5 in, feels like (high) 18.6 °C / 65 °F, average daily low 9.7 °C / 49 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 63%, daylight per day 14.2 h, days with heavy rain 2.6 days, wet days 11.9 days, wind (daily max) 13 km/h / 8 mph.
June · good
In its favour: average daily high 23.1 °C / 74 °F, precipitation 116 mm / 4.6 in, share of daylight that is sunny 60%, daylight per day 14.8 h, average daily low 14.9 °C / 59 °F, feels like (high) 24.3 °C / 76 °F, days with heavy rain 3.8 days, wet days 12.5 days, wind (daily max) 10 km/h / 6 mph.
October · best
In its favour: average daily high 17.5 °C / 64 °F, precipitation 118 mm / 4.7 in, feels like (high) 16.4 °C / 62 °F, average daily low 9 °C / 48 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 66%, days with heavy rain 3.2 days, daylight per day 11.2 h, wet days 11.8 days, wind (daily max) 12 km/h / 7 mph.
November · good
In its favour: average daily high 11.2 °C / 52 °F, precipitation 95 mm / 3.8 in, share of daylight that is sunny 69%, days with heavy rain 2.6 days, average daily low 2.8 °C / 37 °F, feels like (high) 8.6 °C / 47 °F, wind (daily max) 13 km/h / 8 mph, daylight per day 10.1 h.
Against: wet days 15.1 days.
An activity is listed only where it applies: skiing at ski destinations, beach and swimming at beach destinations. The nearest ski area is 蔵王温泉スキー場, Zao Onsen Ski Resort, 7 km away.
Weather averages
Monthly averages over twenty years, 2006–2025. Highs, lows and precipitation are in the chart at the top.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feels like (high) | -2.9 °C | -1.7 °C | 3.4 °C | 11 °C | 18.6 °C | 24.3 °C | 29.8 °C | 31.9 °C | 25.5 °C | 16.4 °C | 8.6 °C | 0.8 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 2.5 days | 2 days | 3 days | 3.6 days | 2.6 days | 3.8 days | 5.8 days | 4.1 days | 4.2 days | 3.2 days | 2.6 days | 3.8 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 2 pm | 3 pm | 2 pm | 1 pm | 12 pm | 3 pm | 3 pm | 3 pm | 3 pm | 7 am | 3 pm | 11 am |
| Sunshine per day | 7.4 h | 7.9 h | 8.6 h | 9.2 h | 8.9 h | 8.9 h | 7.8 h | 8.7 h | 7.4 h | 7.4 h | 7 h | 6.6 h |
| Relative humidity | 80% | 77% | 73% | 71% | 73% | 79% | 84% | 83% | 83% | 82% | 81% | 82% |
Air quality
Averaged over a shorter period (2022–2025) than the twenty-year averages above, and not counted towards good or best months.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air pollution (PM2.5) 2022–2025 | 6.5 µg/m³ | 8 µg/m³ | 13.4 µg/m³ | 12.9 µg/m³ | 10.8 µg/m³ | 11.2 µg/m³ | 10.8 µg/m³ | 8.8 µg/m³ | 6.6 µg/m³ | 6.5 µg/m³ | 6.1 µg/m³ | 5.2 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 11.6 µg/m³ | 13.7 µg/m³ | 23.2 µg/m³ | 22.1 µg/m³ | 18.4 µg/m³ | 19 µg/m³ | 18.7 µg/m³ | 14.2 µg/m³ | 11.2 µg/m³ | 10.9 µg/m³ | 10.9 µg/m³ | 9.6 µg/m³ |
- Good 15 µg/m³ or less
- Fair 15 to 25 µg/m³
- Moderate 25 to 37.5 µg/m³
- Poor 37.5 to 50 µg/m³
- Very poor 50 to 75 µg/m³
- Extremely poor over 75 µg/m³
Each figure is compared with the World Health Organization's guideline for a day's air, 15 µg/m³ or less, and with its interim targets above that. The words are ours: the WHO does not name its steps. The figures are modelled monthly averages, so single days can be well above them. The daily peak is the average of each day's highest hour, shaded on the same scale.