Climate Insights for Sapporo

The climate in Sapporo is cool. The average annual temperature is 9°C and approximately 1314mm of precipitation falls per year. Sapporo receives a notable amount of rainfall throughout the year, including during its driest month. Sapporo is in the Northern Hemisphere. Summer begins at the end of June and lasts through September. The summer months are: August, July, September. The coldest months are January, February, December, when temperatures can drop to -6°C. Sapporo experiences heavy snowfall, typically from January through December.

Temperatures in Sapporo vary considerably across the year, with a 30°C difference between the coldest and warmest months. August is the warmest month, though highs remain moderate at 24°C with a mean of 22°C. The coldest month is January, when overnight lows fall to -6°C and the daily average is -4°C. Daily temperature variation is modest, with an average difference of 5°C between highs and lows. The sharpest temperature change occurs between October and November, with a 7°C shift in average temperatures.

Sapporo is a fairly wet location, receiving approximately 1314mm of precipitation annually, which averages out to around 110mm per month. The wettest month is August, averaging 221mm of rainfall. July and November also tend to see above-average precipitation. The driest month is April, with just 68mm. That's 153mm less than August, the wettest month. Precipitation varies noticeably between seasons, with the second half (July to December) of the year generally seeing more rainfall. Sapporo receives heavy snowfall, accumulating around 314cm annually from January through December. The snowiest month is December, with approximately 87cm. Winter travel should account for significant snow cover.

Sapporo is relatively calm, with an average annual wind speed of 4km/h. For context, sustained winds below 12km/h are generally light, while anything above 25km/h is considered strong. The windiest month is November, averaging 5km/h, though still comfortable for most outdoor activities. The calmest conditions occur in July, with average winds dropping to 3km/h, making it an ideal period for wind-sensitive activities. There is moderate seasonal variation in wind speed, with a 2km/h gap between the calmest and windiest months.

It is currently spring in Sapporo, which began on March 20, 2026. Sapporo is in the Northern Hemisphere, where spring begins in March, summer in June, autumn in September, and winter in December. The warmest period peaks in August at around 24°C, while the coldest stretch bottoms out in January near -6°C. Summer is next, beginning on June 21, 2026 — 4 days from now.

The table below shows monthly climate averages for Sapporo based on historical weather data. Min and max temperatures represent typical overnight lows and afternoon highs for each month, shown in degrees Celsius (°C). Precipitation is measured in millimetres (mm) and indicates the average total rainfall per month. Snow is measured in centimetres (cm) and reflects average monthly snowfall accumulation. Wind speed is the average sustained speed in kilometres per hour (km/h). All values are based on averages from over 10 years of historical weather data. The current month is highlighted for quick reference.