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City in Hokkaido, Japan
Sapporo
One of the snowiest big cities in the world, and host of the annual Sapporo Snow Festival.
Forecast updated , when it was 19:00 in Sapporo (GMT+9).
Sapporo snow forecast
Next 24 hours
No snow in the next 24 hours.
A small chance of snow on Thursday.
High confidence, all three forecast models agree
No snow is forecast for Sapporo in the next 7 days, though one weather model shows a little. Expect temperatures from 3 to 10 °C (37 to 50 °F) and the freezing level near 2,250 m (7,400 ft) over the next day. It should be sunny on Saturday.
- Temperature now
- 5 °C (41 °F)
- Freezing level
- 2,250 m (7,400 ft)
- Wind
- 6 km/h (4 mph), gusts 11 km/h (7 mph)
- Sky now
- Mostly clear, 21% cloud
Sapporo hour by hour
Hourly snowfallNo rain or snow in Sapporo in the next 24 hours.
Sapporo 7-day snow forecast
| Day | Weather | Snowfall |
|---|---|---|
| Tonight | Dry4 to 5 °C (39 to 41 °F) · freezing level 2,200 m (7,200 ft) | No snow |
| Sat | Sunny3 to 10 °C (37 to 50 °F) · freezing level 1,650 m (5,400 ft) | No snow |
| Sun | Rain2 to 7 °C (36 to 45 °F) · freezing level 1,250 m (4,100 ft) | No snow |
| Mon | Rain2 to 6 °C (36 to 43 °F) · gusts 49 km/h (30 mph) · freezing level 600 m (2,000 ft) | No snow |
| Tue | Cloudy1 to 5 °C (34 to 41 °F) · freezing level 350 m (1,100 ft) | No snow |
| Wed | Rain1 to 13 °C (34 to 55 °F) · gusts 57 km/h (35 mph) · freezing level 1,650 m (5,400 ft) | No snow |
| Thu | Flurries0 to 9 °C (32 to 48 °F) · gusts 72 km/h (45 mph) · freezing level 500 m (1,600 ft) | Under 1 cm (under 1 in) |
Sky is graded over the ski day, 9am to 4pm. Bluebird means at least two of the three models show clear skies all day, none shows overcast, and no snow or rain is forecast. Models are weaker on cloud than on snow, and none of them can see valley fog, so treat it as a good sign rather than a promise.
Sapporo 14-day snow outlook
Days 8 to 14. Only two of our three models run this far ahead, and forecasts at this range often change, so read this as a guide to the pattern rather than a plan.
| Day | Weather | Snowfall |
|---|---|---|
| Fri 20 Nov | Chance of snow−1 to 2 °C (30 to 36 °F) · 1 of 2 models show snow | 0–2 cm (under 1 in) |
| Sat 21 Nov | Snow−3 to 1 °C (27 to 34 °F) · 2 of 2 models show snow | 1–2 cm (under 1 in) |
| Sun 22 Nov | Chance of snow−3 to 1 °C (27 to 34 °F) · 1 of 2 models show snow | 0–2 cm (under 1 in) |
| Mon 23 Nov | Cloudy−3 to 2 °C (27 to 36 °F) | No snow |
| Tue 24 Nov | Some sun−2 to 3 °C (28 to 37 °F) | No snow |
| Wed 25 Nov | Chance of snow−4 to 0 °C (25 to 32 °F) · 1 of 2 models show snow | 0–2 cm (under 1 in) |
| Thu 26 Nov | Cloudy−3 to 4 °C (27 to 39 °F) | No snow |
How much snow is there in Sapporo?
No snow on the ground
This is an estimate from weather models, not a measurement, so it can differ from the depth a resort reports on its pistes.
Where is Sapporo?
Snow in Sapporo
Sapporo receives heavy snowfall most winters. The Sapporo Snow Festival fills the city with snow and ice sculptures each February.
When does it snow in Sapporo?
In Sapporo, snow falls on about 12 days in January in a typical year, the snowiest month. Snow is regular from November to April.
| January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 days | 12 days | 6 days | 3 days | 0 days | 0 days | 0 days | 0 days | 0 days | <1 days | 5 days | 11 days |
Average days each month with at least 1 cm of snowfall, 2016–2025. Calculated from ERA5 reanalysis data.
Snow in Sapporo 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 | 12 | 25% | −10 to −2 °C (14 to 28 °F) |
| February | 12 | 24% | −9 to −2 °C (16 to 28 °F) |
| March | 6 | 16% | −4 to 4 °C (25 to 39 °F) |
| April | 3 | 3% | 2 to 12 °C (36 to 54 °F) |
| May | 0 | 0% | 8 to 18 °C (46 to 64 °F) |
| June | 0 | 0% | 13 to 21 °C (55 to 70 °F) |
| July | 0 | 0% | 18 to 26 °C (64 to 79 °F) |
| August | 0 | 0% | 19 to 26 °C (66 to 79 °F) |
| September | 0 | 0% | 14 to 22 °C (57 to 72 °F) |
| October | <1 | 1% | 7 to 16 °C (45 to 61 °F) |
| November | 5 | 8% | 1 to 8 °C (34 to 46 °F) |
| December | 11 | 22% | −7 to 0 °C (19 to 32 °F) |
Snow in Sapporo in November
In November, Sapporo gets snow on about 5 days, and the month brings about 8% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from 1 to 8 °C (34 to 46 °F).
Snow in Sapporo in December
In December, Sapporo gets snow on about 11 days, and the month brings about 22% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −7 to 0 °C (19 to 32 °F).
Snow in Sapporo in January
In January, Sapporo gets snow on about 12 days, and the month brings about 25% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −10 to −2 °C (14 to 28 °F).
Snow in Sapporo in February
In February, Sapporo gets snow on about 12 days, and the month brings about 24% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −9 to −2 °C (16 to 28 °F).
Snow in Sapporo in March
In March, Sapporo gets snow on about 6 days, and the month brings about 16% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −4 to 4 °C (25 to 39 °F).
Snow in Sapporo in April
In April, Sapporo gets snow on about 3 days, and the month brings about 3% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from 2 to 12 °C (36 to 54 °F).
Which winters were snowiest in Sapporo?
Of the last ten winters in Sapporo, 2021/22 was the snowiest, about 30% above the ten-year average. The leanest was 2018/19, about 22% below average. The biggest single day of snowfall in the record was 22 December 2016.
| Winter | Compared with average | |
|---|---|---|
| 2016/17 | 107% of average | |
| 2017/18 | 109% of average | |
| 2018/19 | 78% of average | |
| 2019/20 | 79% of average | |
| 2020/21 | 86% of average | |
| 2021/22 | 130% of average | |
| 2022/23 | 84% of average | |
| 2023/24 | 96% of average | |
| 2024/25 | 115% of average | |
| 2025/26 | 117% 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 Sapporo
Does Sapporo have snow at Christmas?
Sapporo had at least 2.5 cm (1 in) of snow on the ground on Christmas Day in 9 of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025. Fresh snow fell during 20 to 26 December in every one of those years.
Does Sapporo have snow at New Year?
Sapporo had at least 2.5 cm (1 in) of snow on the ground on New Year's Day in every one of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025. Fresh snow fell during 27 December to 2 January in every one of those years.
Does Sapporo have snow in mid-February?
Sapporo had at least 2.5 cm (1 in) of snow on the ground on 15 February in every one of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025. Fresh snow fell during 10 to 20 February in every one of those years.
Does Sapporo have snow at Easter?
Sapporo had at least 2.5 cm (1 in) of snow on the ground on Easter Sunday in 3 of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025. Fresh snow fell during Good Friday to Easter Monday in 3 of those years.
How many days a year does it snow in Sapporo?
It snows on about 49 days a year in Sapporo, counting days with at least 1 cm of snowfall, averaged over 2016 to 2025. January has the most, about 12 days.
What is the snowiest month in Sapporo?
January is the snowiest month in Sapporo, bringing about 25% of the year's snowfall, based on ERA5 reanalysis data for 2016 to 2025.
Which recent winter was the snowiest in Sapporo?
Of the last ten winters in Sapporo, 2021/22 was the snowiest, about 30% above the ten-year average. The leanest was 2018/19, about 22% below average.
How cold does Sapporo get in winter?
January is the coldest month in Sapporo, with average daily lows of −10 °C (14 °F) and highs of −2 °C (28 °F).