City in Niigata, Japan
Niigata
City on the Sea of Japan coast, in Japan's classic snow country.
Niigata snow forecast
Out of season.
Forecasts for Niigata pause outside the snow season and start again in November. The snow record below shows when it usually snows here.
Where is Niigata?
When does it snow in Niigata?
In Niigata, snow falls on about 13 days in January in a typical year, the snowiest month. Snow is regular from December to March.
| January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 days | 9 days | 2 days | <1 days | 0 days | 0 days | 0 days | 0 days | 0 days | 0 days | <1 days | 8 days |
Average days each month with at least 1 cm of snowfall, 2016–2025. Calculated from ERA5 reanalysis data.
Snow in Niigata month by month
Averages for 2016 to 2025, from ERA5 reanalysis data.
| Month | Snow days | Share of the year's snow | Low to high |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 13 | 43% | 1 to 5 °C (34 to 41 °F) |
| February | 9 | 25% | 1 to 6 °C (34 to 43 °F) |
| March | 2 | 4% | 4 to 10 °C (39 to 50 °F) |
| April | <1 | 1% | 8 to 15 °C (46 to 59 °F) |
| May | 0 | 0% | 13 to 20 °C (55 to 68 °F) |
| June | 0 | 0% | 18 to 24 °C (64 to 75 °F) |
| July | 0 | 0% | 23 to 28 °C (73 to 82 °F) |
| August | 0 | 0% | 24 to 30 °C (75 to 86 °F) |
| September | 0 | 0% | 21 to 26 °C (70 to 79 °F) |
| October | 0 | 0% | 14 to 20 °C (57 to 68 °F) |
| November | <1 | 1% | 9 to 14 °C (48 to 57 °F) |
| December | 8 | 26% | 4 to 8 °C (39 to 46 °F) |
Snow in Niigata in December
In December, Niigata gets snow on about 8 days, and the month brings about 26% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from 4 to 8 °C (39 to 46 °F).
Snow in Niigata in January
In January, Niigata gets snow on about 13 days, and the month brings about 43% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from 1 to 5 °C (34 to 41 °F).
Snow in Niigata in February
In February, Niigata gets snow on about 9 days, and the month brings about 25% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from 1 to 6 °C (34 to 43 °F).
Snow in Niigata in March
In March, Niigata gets snow on about 2 days, and the month brings about 4% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from 4 to 10 °C (39 to 50 °F).
Which winters were snowiest in Niigata?
Of the last ten winters in Niigata, 2017/18 was the snowiest, about 74% above the ten-year average. The leanest was 2019/20, about 72% below average. The biggest single day of snowfall in the record was 21 December 2023.
| Winter | Compared with average | |
|---|---|---|
| 2016/17 | 78% of average | |
| 2017/18 | 174% of average | |
| 2018/19 | 70% of average | |
| 2019/20 | 28% of average | |
| 2020/21 | 127% of average | |
| 2021/22 | 124% of average | |
| 2022/23 | 93% of average | |
| 2023/24 | 80% of average | |
| 2024/25 | 129% of average | |
| 2025/26 | 97% of average |
Winters are compared with each other rather than given in centimetres. The ERA5 record is reliable on which winters were big and which were lean, but it underestimates absolute snowfall in the mountains, so the resort's own measured totals are the ones to trust for amounts.
Questions about snow in Niigata
Does Niigata have snow at Christmas?
Niigata had at least 2.5 cm (1 in) of snow on the ground on Christmas Day in 2 of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025. Fresh snow fell during 20 to 26 December in 7 of those years.
Does Niigata have snow at New Year?
Niigata had at least 2.5 cm (1 in) of snow on the ground on New Year's Day in 4 of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025. Fresh snow fell during 27 December to 2 January in 9 of those years.
Does Niigata have snow in mid-February?
Niigata had at least 2.5 cm (1 in) of snow on the ground on 15 February in 8 of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025. Fresh snow fell during 10 to 20 February in 9 of those years.
Does Niigata have snow at Easter?
Niigata had at least 2.5 cm (1 in) of snow on the ground on Easter Sunday in none of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025. Fresh snow fell during Good Friday to Easter Monday in 1 of those years.
How many days a year does it snow in Niigata?
It snows on about 34 days a year in Niigata, counting days with at least 1 cm of snowfall, averaged over 2016 to 2025. January has the most, about 13 days.
What is the snowiest month in Niigata?
January is the snowiest month in Niigata, bringing about 43% of the year's snowfall, based on ERA5 reanalysis data for 2016 to 2025.
Which recent winter was the snowiest in Niigata?
Of the last ten winters in Niigata, 2017/18 was the snowiest, about 74% above the ten-year average. The leanest was 2019/20, about 72% below average.
How cold does Niigata get in winter?
January is the coldest month in Niigata, with average daily lows of 1 °C (34 °F) and highs of 5 °C (41 °F).
Snow forecasts near Niigata
Nearest ski resorts to Niigata
Sources: Niigata on Wikidata, Elevation from the Open-Meteo terrain model at the city centre coordinates