Dry-day rate calendar for February
Period: observations for 1996–2025 (30 years)
This is the month when the winter pressure pattern begins to loosen and rain and snow from low-pressure systems passing along the southern coast of Honshu join in. In the 1996–2025 records, the gap between the Pacific side and the Sea of Japan side becomes less extreme than in January.
The "dry-day rate" is the share of years in which a given day had no precipitation (rain or snow) of 1 mm or more (daily rainfall under 1 mm, smoothed over the 4 days before and after).
These are statistics compiled from observations for 1996–2025 (30 years), not a weather forecast for any particular day. For the latest forecasts, see the JMA website.
February at a glance
The station with the highest monthly average dry-day rate in Japan, the national median, and the station with the lowest. The most comfortable stations this month: Chichijima Island / Hyuga / Saito (details in the comfort section below).
Dry-day rates across Japan (February average)
Each dot is 1 station. The highest and lowest stations are labeled on the map, and the top and bottom lists are below.
Daily calendar for major stations
The deeper the amber, the more years that day stayed dry (the colors match the legend above). The table below (averages for the early, middle, and late parts of the month) has the same values.
| Station | Early | Mid | Late | Monthly avg. | 2 days in a row | 3 days in a row | Windy days | Sunshine (avg.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sapporo | 45.6% | 40.1% | 45.8% | 43.8% | 24.7% | 14.7% | 12.4% | 3.8 hours |
| Sendai | 82.3% | 81.6% | 81.4% | 81.8% | 67.8% | 56.6% | 14.9% | 5.5 hours |
| Niigata | 36.8% | 44.1% | 47.6% | 42.7% | 21.2% | 11.1% | 21.6% | 2.8 hours |
| Kanazawa | 30.4% | 34.9% | 45.2% | 36.5% | 17.1% | 8.1% | 32.4% | 3.2 hours |
| Tokyo | 85.0% | 81.5% | 77.6% | 81.5% | 67.8% | 56.5% | 7.7% | 6.1 hours |
| Nagoya | 81.9% | 76.8% | 75.3% | 78.1% | 62.3% | 48.9% | 12.5% | 6.1 hours |
| Osaka | 81.6% | 77.4% | 73.3% | 77.6% | 61.7% | 48.4% | 4.3% | 5.1 hours |
| Hiroshima | 80.0% | 74.0% | 71.9% | 75.4% | 59.1% | 45.2% | 6.9% | 5.1 hours |
| Takamatsu | 81.4% | 74.8% | 73.5% | 76.7% | 61.0% | 47.7% | 6.2% | 5.2 hours |
| Fukuoka | 72.6% | 69.8% | 63.9% | 68.9% | 49.5% | 35.7% | 6.8% | 4.4 hours |
| Kagoshima | 69.5% | 66.5% | 65.3% | 67.1% | 48.2% | 33.4% | 8.4% | 4.9 hours |
| Naha | 65.7% | 67.1% | 65.5% | 66.1% | 47.3% | 34.0% | 51.3% | 3.4 hours |
"2 days in a row" and "3 days in a row" are the monthly averages of the share of years in which it stayed dry for 2 / 3 days starting that day (counted from the actual consecutive records, not by multiplying each day's share). They are a guide for multi-night trips and outdoor plans. "Windy days" is the share of days with a daily mean wind speed of 5 m/s or more. The sunshine averages include estimates from March 2021 onward at some stations.
Stations with the highest and lowest dry-day rates (February average)
Comfort in February (5 levels)
Based on observations of dry-day rate, sunshine, wind, and temperature for 1996–2025 (30 years), each station is rated on 5 levels of comfort for February. The tables also show the values behind each rating and the factor that lowered it most (the main factor). Some stations with short sunshine records are not rated.
Each dot is 1 station. The colors match the levels in the legend. The top and bottom lists are below.
Most comfortable stations (top)
| Station | Level | Main factor | Dry-day rate | Sunshine (avg.) | Windy days | High (avg.) | Low (avg.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chichijima Island | Comfortable | None | 76.2% | 5.0 hours | 12.3% | 20.7°C | 15.5°C |
| Hyuga | Comfortable | None | 73.9% | 6.0 hours | 0.0% | 13.9°C | 2.8°C |
| Saito | Comfortable | None | 72.5% | 5.9 hours | 2.2% | 14.2°C | 2.9°C |
| Takanabe | Comfortable | None | 71.7% | 6.0 hours | 1.1% | 13.9°C | 3.8°C |
| Shibushi | Comfortable | None | 68.5% | 5.6 hours | 0.0% | 14.8°C | 3.8°C |
| Nobeoka | Good | Cold | 76.0% | 6.1 hours | 7.7% | 13.7°C | 3.2°C |
| Miyazaki | Good | Cold | 72.0% | 6.0 hours | 13.2% | 14.3°C | 4.6°C |
| Kochi | Good | Cold | 74.6% | 6.2 hours | 0.1% | 13.3°C | 3.4°C |
| Kushima | Good | Cold | 69.3% | 5.5 hours | 1.2% | 14.6°C | 4.2°C |
| Shizuoka | Good | Cold | 78.3% | 6.5 hours | 0.5% | 12.8°C | 3.2°C |
Harshest stations (bottom)
| Station | Level | Main factor | Dry-day rate | Sunshine (avg.) | Windy days | High (avg.) | Low (avg.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rumoi | Harsh | Cold | 41.3% | 2.5 hours | 62.4% | -0.3°C | -7.3°C |
| Esashi | Harsh | Cold | 46.5% | 2.1 hours | 68.0% | 2.4°C | -2.9°C |
| Karikawa | Harsh | Cold | 32.9% | 1.9 hours | 36.0% | 3.7°C | -1.8°C |
| Haboro | Harsh | Cold | 36.1% | 2.7 hours | 38.3% | -0.6°C | -8.3°C |
| Noshiro | Harsh | Cold | 39.9% | 2.3 hours | 44.2% | 3.7°C | -2.2°C |
| Akita | Harsh | Cold | 39.5% | 2.4 hours | 42.5% | 4.2°C | -2.0°C |
| Kutchan | Harsh | Cold | 24.6% | 2.4 hours | 11.2% | -0.8°C | -9.4°C |
| Aomori | Harsh | Cold | 36.5% | 2.7 hours | 27.9% | 2.8°C | -3.4°C |
| Shinjo | Harsh | Cold | 28.4% | 2.2 hours | 14.7% | 3.3°C | -3.8°C |
| Suttsu | Harsh | Cold | 36.8% | 1.7 hours | 26.2% | 0.5°C | -4.5°C |
Stations are ordered by their rating from the observations. "Windy days" is the share of days with a daily mean wind speed of 5 m/s or more, and "Sunshine (avg.)" is the monthly average of daily sunshine hours (including estimates from March 2021 onward at some stations).
Typhoon approaches in February (5 broad areas)
In the confirmed records for 1951–2025, no typhoon approached any area in February.
The 5 areas are Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, and Okinawa and Amami. The Izu and Ogasawara Islands are not included in Honshu (listed separately).
Typhoon approach calendar / Look up past typhoons by date range
What makes February distinctive
The nationwide average dry-day rate barely moves: 65.4% in February against 66.3% in January. Yet looking station by station at measurements over the 30 years 1996–2025, the contents had swapped. Niigata rose from 32.2% to 42.7% and Kanazawa from 25.2% to 36.5%, while Tokyo fell from 86.7% to 81.5% and Nagoya from 83.3% to 78.1%. This is because snow on the Sea of Japan side loses force while rain from low-pressure systems passing south of Honshu joins in, a change you would miss by looking only at the national average.
Meanwhile, the bottom of the cold had not moved yet. The average low at Etanbetsu was -16°C in February against -16.2°C in January, and Nayoro went from -14.5°C to -14.6°C; mornings in inland Hokkaido stayed almost unchanged. In average highs, the Nansei Islands held in the 20°C range, with Ishigakijima Island at 22.2°C / Yonagunijima Island at 21.6°C, and Naha was also at 20.5°C. To look for an early spring, head south; to aim for snow and ice, head to places such as Kutchan with a dry-day rate of 24.6% or Takada with 28%; the character of the destinations splits. Days with a daily mean wind speed of 5 m/s or more stayed high at Yonagunijima Island (80.6%) / Cape Muroto (78.4%).
The record values in this commentary are as compiled in September 2026, and the normals are based on 1996–2025 (30 years).
Other months and calendars
January calendar March calendar
Cherry blossom calendar (some stations have recorded flowering or full bloom in February)
When to travel calendar (holidays, long weekends, and comfort levels for 12 months at once)
Each station's page also has a 12-month calendar for that station.