In February, a lot of winter festivals are held in Hokkaido, including the Sapporo Snow Festival. For this reason, there are many people going to Hokkaido at this time. However, in February, Hokkaido is very cold. If you plan to travel in February, please do not forget enough protection from the cold. On this page I will provide details about the weather of Hokkaido in February. This article contains a lot of pictures to help you imagine the weather in February in Hokkaido, so please refer to them.
Below are articles about the monthly weather in Hokkaido. Click on an article if you want to know more.
| January | February | March |
| April | May | June |
| July | August | September |
| October | November | December |
Below are articles on the weather in Tokyo and Osaka in February.
For winter clothes, please refer to the following article.
Table of Contents
- Q & A about Hokkaido in February
- Weather in Hokkaido in February (overview)
- Hokkaido weather in early February
- Hokkaido weather in the middle of February
- Hokkaido weather in late February
- Reference: Current weather and temperature in Hokkaido, forecast for the next 7 days
- Weather in tourist destinations around Japan
Q & A about Hokkaido in February
Does snow fall in February in Hokkaido?
It snows very well in Hokkaido in February. There may be a lot of snow piled up.
How cold is Hokkaido in February?
February is a very cold time along with January. Especially in the first half of February, the daytime maximum temperature is almost below freezing.
What kind of clothes should we wear in February in Hokkaido?
In February, in Hokkaido you need full-fledged winter clothing. For winter clothes in Hokkaido, please refer to the following article.
When is the best time to visit Hokkaido?
If you want to enjoy the snowy winter landscapes, January and February are the best months. In early February, winter festivals are held all over Hokkaido.
Weather in Hokkaido in February (overview)
Temperature change in Hokkaido (Sapporo) in February
Graph: Temperature change in Hokkaido (Sapporo) in February
※ Based on the data released by the Japan Meteorological Agency. Both high and low temperature data are averages over the past 30 years (1981-2010)
>> Click here for a [quick reference] converted from Celsius to Fahrenheit.
As you can see from the above graph, in February, the below freezing temperatures continue. The temperature begins to rise gradually in late February but it is still very cold.
Overview
At the “Sapporo Snow Festival”, it gets very cold at night
The weather of Hokkaido is completely different from Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto etc. It is better to think that the temperature is about 10 degrees lower.
Hokkaido experiences a lot of snowfall. Clouds coming from the Sea of Japan cause snow mainly on the west side of Hokkaido.
Although the area on the east side of Hokkaido has less snow than the west side, it is not unusual for the temperature to fall below freezing as it is very cold.
If you plan on going to see a winter festival such as the Sapporo Snow Festival, you will probably walk outdoors a lot. Since the frozen road surface is very slippery, I recommend that you put non-slip instruments on your shoes in particular.
Hokkaido weather in early February
Map of Hokkaido
Weather data in Hokkaido (early February)
| Highest temperature (Lowest temperature) |
Total precipitation (Total snowfall depth) |
|
| Sapporo | -0.6℃ (-7.3℃) | 33.5mm (55cm) |
| Otaru | -0.8℃ (-6.4℃) | 38.3mm (59cm) |
| Asahikawa | -3.1℃ (-13.7℃) | 16.6mm (49cm) |
| Biei | -4.2℃ (-16.3℃) | 11.4mm (52cm) |
| Furano | -3.9℃ (-16.3℃) | 11.6mm (49cm) |
| Wakkanai | -3.2℃ (-7.7℃) | 19.1mm (50cm) |
| Abashiri | -3.3℃ (-10.9℃) | 10.1mm (29cm) |
| Utoro | -4.0℃ (-11.0℃) | 12.0mm (44cm) |
| Nemuro | -2.2℃ (-8.3℃) | 4.9mm (17cm) |
| Kushiro | -1.0℃ (-11.2℃) | 5.1mm (12cm) |
| Obihiro | -1.8℃ (-14.2℃) | 5.4mm (11cm) |
| Hakodate | 0.7℃ (-6.6℃) | 17.2mm (34cm) |
※ All figures are the average for 30 years of 1981-2010 announced by the Japan Meteorological Agency
Hokkaido at this time seen in photos
Hot food and drinks are popular at “Sapporo Snow Festival”
Weather and sunrise / sunset time
It is the coldest from late January to the first half of February. In early February, big winter festivals are held every year in Hokkaido, including the Sapporo Snow Festival.
The most popular thing for winter festivals are the night illuminations. During this time you can expect to walk in the cold at temperatures of 10 degrees below zero. In that case, please wear coats and gloves. The sidewalks at the winter festival are well maintained, but please be careful not to slip as the road surface is frozen.
Hot food and drinks are sold at the winter festival venues. Use these as an opportunity to keep your body warm.
In early February, the sunrise time in Sapporo is about 6:46 and the sunset time is about 16:52.
Sunrise time at Nemuro located in Eastern Hokkaido is about 6:30 and sunset time is about 16:34.
Hokkaido weather in the middle of February
Weather data in Hokkaido (middle of February)
| Highest temperature (Lowest temperature) |
Total precipitation (Total snowfall depth) |
|
| Sapporo | -0.1℃ (-6.7℃) | 33.5mm (53cm) |
| Otaru | -0.2℃ (-5.8℃) | 37.2mm (56cm) |
| Asahikawa | -2.3℃ (-12.8℃) | 18.7mm (45cm) |
| Biei | -3.4℃ (-15.5℃) | 12.7mm (53cm) |
| Furano | -2.9℃ (-15.0℃) | 13.0mm (50cm) |
| Wakkanai | -2.9℃ (-7.4℃) | 22.3mm (52cm) |
| Abashiri | -2.9℃ (-10.4℃) | 12.6mm (27cm) |
| Utoro | -3.7℃ (-10.8℃) | 17.0mm (51cm) |
| Nemuro | -1.8℃ (-7.8℃) | 8.2mm (cm) |
| Kushiro | -0.5℃ (-9.9℃) | 10.4mm (13cm) |
| Obihiro | -0.6℃ (-12.6℃) | 10.3mm (16cm) |
| Hakodate | 1.3℃ (-6.1℃) | 22.3mm (33cm) |
※ All figures are the average for 30 years of 1981-2010 announced by the Japan Meteorological Agency
Hokkaido at this time seen in photos
FEBRUARY 15, 2017: Ningle Terrace at twilight. The collection of cottages situated in the woods are boutique shops specializing in handmade craft items, Furano, Hokkaido = Shutterstock
Weather and sunrise / sunset time
In mid-February, the fields are still very cold. There is also days with heavy snow. If you stay in the field for a long time you will get cold so it is a good idea to plan your movements.
The sunrise time at Nemuro located in Eastern Hokkaido is about 6:17 and the sunset time is about 16:47.
The above picture was taken in Furano. It is very cold at night during this time, but at the same time the scenery is very beautiful. Have a great trip!
Hokkaido weather in late February
Weather data in Hokkaido (late February)
| Highest temperature (Lowest temperature) |
Total precipitation (Total snowfall depth) |
|
| Sapporo | 1.3℃ (-5.6℃) | 27.1mm (39cm) |
| Otaru | 1.0℃ (-4.8℃) | 30.1mm (42cm) |
| Asahikawa | -0.5℃ (-11.3℃) | 16.1mm (37cm) |
| Biei | -1.6℃ (-13.9℃) | 14.1mm (42cm) |
| Furano | -1.1℃ (-13.1℃) | 12.6mm (38cm) |
| Wakkanai | -1.2℃ (-6.1℃) | 19.4mm (41cm) |
| Abashiri | -1.2℃ (-8.6℃) | 13.3mm (25cm) |
| Utoro | -1.8℃ (-9.2℃) | 23.2mm (37cm) |
| Nemuro | -0.7℃ (-6.5℃) | 9.5mm (16cm) |
| Kushiro | 0.5℃ (-8.1℃) | 7.1mm (9cm) |
| Obihiro | 0.8℃ (-10.6℃) | 9.2mm (11cm) |
| Hakodate | 2.7℃ (-4.9℃) | 19.7mm (23cm) |
※ All figures are the average for 30 years of 1981-2010 announced by the Japan Meteorological Agency
Hokkaido at this time seen in photos
February 24, 2017: Marchen Square in Otaru, Hokkaido = Shutterstock
Weather and sunrise / sunset time
At this time, when you move from Tokyo or Osaka to Hokkaido, you will be surprised by the cold. Spring is getting a little closer in Tokyo and Osaka, but winter weather will continue in Hokkaido.
In west Hokkaido, such as Sapporo, snow continues to fall.
In late February, the sunrise time in Sapporo is about 6:18 and the sunset time is about 17:18.
Sunrise time at Nemuro located in Eastern Hokkaido is about 6:02 and sunset time is about 17:01.
※ Sunrise and sunset times are based on the 2019 data released by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan. I posted the time of the 5th for the beginning of February, the time of the 15th for the middle of February, and the time of the 25th for the end of February.
Reference: Current weather and temperature in Hokkaido, forecast for the next 7 days
Weather in tourist destinations around Japan
Below are pages showing the climates of various regions in Japan at the same time of the year.
| Tokyo | Osaka | Kyoto |
| Hokkaido | Sendai | Nagano |
| Nagoya | Hiroshima | Fukuoka |
| Okinawa |
Thank you for reading to the end.
For Hokkaido, please refer to the following articles if you like.
>> Hokkaido! 21 Popular Tourist Areas and 10 Airports
>> Winter Wear in Hokkaido! What should you wear?
>> New Chitose Airport! Access to Sapporo, Niseko, Furano etc.
Now, let’s plan to make your vacation in Japan the best experience ever!
