City in Hokkaido, Japan
Sapporo
One of the snowiest big cities in the world, and host of the annual Sapporo Snow Festival.
Sapporo snow forecast
Out of season.
Forecasts for Sapporo pause outside the snow season and start again in October. The snow record below shows when it usually snows here.
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).