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Climate - Southern Islands (Japan)


Average weather, temperature, rainfall, sunshine hours

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To the south of the main islands of Japan, we find some archipelagos made up of smaller islands. Generally, these islands have a subtropical climate, with mild winters and hot, muggy summers. The rains are abundant and well distributed throughout the year.

Ryukyu


To the south of Kyushu we find the Ryukyu Islands, in turn divided into different groups, which almost reach the Tropic, to the east of Taiwan.

Ryukyu Islands, map

Osumi

In the northernmost group of islands (Osumi), the winter is mild, with an average in January of 11/12 °C (51/54 °F), but it's also rainy and subject to cold winds from the north-west. The main islands of the group are Yakushima, Tanegashima and Kuchinoerabu-jima. Here are the average temperatures of Yakushima.
Yakushima - Average temperatures (1991-2020)
MonthMin (°C)Max (°C)Mean (°C)Min (°F)Max (°F)Mean (°F)
January91511.6485852.9
February91512.1486053.9
March111814.4526457.9
April142117.6577063.7
May172520.8637669.5
June212723.9698075
July243027.1758780.8
August243127.7768881.8
September232925.7738478.3
October192522.2667771.9
November152118597064.4
December111713.7516256.6
Year16.422.919.5561.573.167

The rains are particularly abundant, especially on the island of Yakushima, whose central mountain is one of the rainiest places in the world. On the coast, 4,650 millimeters (184 inches) of rain fall per year at Yakushima and 2,500 mm (100 in) at Tanegashima. Here is the average rainfall in Yakushima.
Yakushima - Average precipitation
MonthMillimetersInchesDays
January29511.617
February29011.415
March38515.216
April40515.914
May44517.514
June86033.920
July36014.212
August2551015
September45017.716
October31012.213
November31012.213
December2801116
Year4650183.1179

On these islands, the sea is cool in winter, it is warm enough for swimming (with a temperature equal to or higher than 23 °C or 73 °F) from May to November, and it becomes pleasantly warm from July to September.
Yakushima - Sea temperature
MonthCelsius (°C)Fahrenheit (°F)
January2068
February19.567
March2068
April2170
May23.575
June2577
July27.581
August28.583
September27.582
October2679
November2475
December21.571
Year23.774.7

Proceeding to the south (Tokara and Amami islands), the winter gradually becomes milder.
On the southernmost islands (Okinawa, Miyako - see Miyakojima, and Yaeyama - see Ishigaki), the winter is so mild as to have a spring-like flavor, even though the rains are quite abundant.
In Okinawa, where the climate is almost tropical, the average in January is around 17 °C (63 °F). Here it never freezes or snows. Here are the average temperatures of Naha.
Okinawa - Average temperatures (1991-2020)
MonthMin (°C)Max (°C)Mean (°C)Min (°F)Max (°F)Mean (°F)
January152017.4596863.2
February152017.6596863.8
March172219.3627166.7
April192421.7667671.1
May222724.6728176.2
June253027.5778681.5
July273229.4818985
August273229.3808984.7
September263128.2788782.8
October242825.8748378.4
November202522.7697772.9
December172219.2627166.5
Year21.12623.5570.178.874.5

In Okinawa, 2,000 mm (80 in) of rain fall per year, with a maximum in the period from May to September (but in which there is a decrease in July) and a relative minimum in winter, of about 100 mm (4 in) per month. Here is the average precipitation.
Okinawa - Average precipitation
MonthMillimetersInchesDays
January1003.912
February1154.511
March1455.713
April1606.312
May2459.613
June28511.212
July1907.511
August2409.414
September27510.813
October1807.111
November1204.710
December1104.311
Year216085142

The sea in Okinawa is never cold, in fact the water temperature reaches a minimum of 22 °C (72 °F) in February and March, when it is quite cool, while it becomes very warm in summer.
Okinawa - Sea temperature
MonthCelsius (°C)Fahrenheit (°F)
January22.573
February2272
March22.572
April23.574
May2577
June2781
July2984
August2984
September28.583
October2781
November25.578
December2475
Year25.578

Outside of this group, to the south-east of Okinawa we find the Daito Islands, which have a climate similar to that of Okinawa, although a little less rainy: in Minamidaito the rains amount to 1,600 mm (63 in) per year.

Izu


Izu and Ogasawara Islands, map

Further east, in the part of the Pacific Ocean to the south of Tokyo (Philippine Sea), we find the Izu Islands (also called Tokyo Islands), which are very rainy (though not as rainy as Yakushima). In Hachijo-jima, rainfall amounts to as much as 3,000 mm (121 in) per year. However, winter is the least rainy season.
The temperature becomes progressively milder as we move south: in Izu Oshima it is still similar to that of the south coast of Honshu, and in fact the January average is 7 °C (45 °F). Here are the average temperatures of Izu-Oshima.
Izu-Oshima - Average temperatures
MonthMin (°C)Max (°C)Mean (°C)Min (°F)Max (°F)Mean (°F)
January4117.2395145
February3117.3385245.1
March6149.8435649.7
April101814.2516457.5
May142218587164.4
June182421657569.9
July222724.5718176
August232926.2748579.1
September202623.4697974
October162218.6607165.5
November111714.2526357.6
December6139.8435649.6
Year12.919.516.255.367.161

Further south, the January average rises to 9.5 °C (49 °F) in Miyake-jima, to 10.5 °C (51 °F) in Hachijo-jima, and to 14 °C (57 °F) in Tori-shima. The island of Nii-jima is located between Izu-Oshima and Miyake-jima.
Here are the average temperatures of Miyake-jima.
Miyake-jima - Average temperatures (1991-2020)
MonthMin (°C)Max (°C)Mean (°C)Min (°F)Max (°F)Mean (°F)
January7129.6455449.3
February7129.6455449.4
March91512495953.6
April131915.7556560.3
May162219617166.3
June202421.8677671.3
July232825.5748277.9
August242926.7768480.1
September222724.5728076.1
October182320.6657369.1
November141916.5576661.7
December101412.1495853.8
Year15.420.317.859.768.664

Ogasawara

To the south of the Izus we find the Ogasawara islands or Bonin, which also stretch almost to the Tropic, but they are not as rainy as the Ryukyus: at Chichi-jima and Iwo-jima the rainfall amounts to 1.300 mm (51 in) per year, and in Minamitori-jima to just 1.000 mm (40 in).
Here is the average rainfall in Chichi-jima. Here too, in July there is a relative decrease in the rains.
Chichijima - Average precipitation
MonthMillimetersInchesDays
January652.611
February5028
March75310
April1154.510
May1505.912
June1104.39
July803.19
August1254.911
September1455.713
October1405.514
November1355.312
December1054.111
Year129551130

In Chichi-jima, the temperatures are similar to those of Okinawa.
Chichijima - Average temperatures (1991-2020)
MonthMin (°C)Max (°C)Mean (°C)Min (°F)Max (°F)Mean (°F)
January152118.1606964.5
February152017.8596964
March162219.1627166.4
April192321657469.8
May212623.4707874.1
June242826.3768379.4
July253027.9788782.2
August263028.1798782.5
September263027.8788682
October242926.4768379.5
November212623.7717974.6
December182320.3647368.6
Year2125.723.369.878.374

The sunniest month in Chichi-jima is July.
Chichijima - Sunshine hours
MonthAverageTotal
January4130
February5140
March5160
April5150
May5150
June7205
July8245
August7215
September6.5200
October5.5175
November4.5140
December4125
Year5.62030

Typhoons



The southern islands of Japan can be affected by typhoons, the tropical cyclones of the western Pacific. Actually, these islands are often hit harder than Japan's main islands.
Typically, typhoons occur from June to October. Occasionally they have also occurred before and after this period (so, from late April to late May, and from early November to early December). However, they are more frequent from August to early October.


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