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Climate in Southern Islands (Japan)


Average weather, temperature, rainfall, sunshine hours

Flag - Japan

Southern Islands (Japan), position the map


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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

Climate chart - Yakushima
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)
Temperatures (°C)
MonthMinMaxMean
January8.614.611.6
February8.915.412.1
March10.917.914.4
April13.921.317.6
May17.224.520.8
June20.826.923.9
July23.830.527.1
August24.430.927.7
September22.628.825.7
October19.125.222.2
November14.921.118
December10.616.713.7
Year16.422.919.55

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.
Yakushima - Average precipitation
MonthRain (mm)Days
January29517
February29015
March38516
April40514
May44514
June86020
July36012
August25515
September45016
October31013
November31013
December28016
Year4650179

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
MonthTemperatures (°C)
January20
February19.5
March20
April21
May23.5
June25
July27.5
August28.5
September27.5
October26
November24">
December21.5
Year23.7

Proceeding to the south (Tokara and Amami islands), the winter gradually becomes milder.

Climate chart - Okinawa
On the southernmost islands (Okinawa, see 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 (see Naha), where the climate is almost tropical, the average in January is around 17 °C (63 °F). Here it never freezes or snows.
Okinawa - Average temperatures (1991-2020)
Temperatures (°C)
MonthMinMaxMean
January14.919.817.4
February15.120.217.6
March16.721.919.3
April19.124.321.7
May22.12724.6
June25.229.827.5
July2731.929.4
August26.831.829.3
September25.830.628.2
October23.528.125.8
November20.42522.7
December16.821.519.2
Year21.12623.55

Further south, in Ishigaki, the January average reaches 19 °C (66 °F).
In Okinawa, 2,000 mm (80 in) of rain fall per year, and in Ishigaki 2,100 mm (82.5 in). In both islands, there is 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.
Okinawa - Average precipitation
MonthRain (mm)Days
January10012
February11511
March14513
April16012
May24513
June28512
July19011
August24014
September27513
October18011
November12010
December11011
Year2160142

The sea is never cold, in fact the water temperature reaches a minimum of 22 °C (72 °F) in February and March in Okinawa, and of 23.5/24 °C (74/75 °F) in Ishigaki, while it becomes very warm in summer.
Okinawa - Sea temperature
MonthTemperatures (°C)
January22.5
February22
March22.5
April23.5
May25
June27
July29
August29
September28.5
October27
November25.5">
December24
Year25.5

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.
Climate chart - Izu Oshima
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).
Izu Oshima - Average temperatures (1991-2020)
Temperatures (°C)
MonthMinMaxMean
January3.9117.4
February411.67.8
March6.614.210.4
April10.718.214.4
May14.821.918.4
June18.424.321.4
July22.227.825
August23.529.526.5
September20.826.723.8
October16.12219
November11.317.814.6
December6.513.410
Year13.319.916.55

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)
Temperatures (°C)
MonthMinMaxMean
January7.112.19.6
February6.912.49.6
March9.21512.1
April12.718.615.6
May16.221.919
June19.524.221.8
July23.227.825.5
August24.329.126.7
September22.226.724.4
October18.422.920.6
November14.11916.6
December9.714.612.1
Year15.320.417.85

Ogasawara

To the south of the Izus we find the Ogasawara islands or Bonin, which also stretch almost to the Tropic (except the small island of Okino Tori, which is further south), but they are not as rainy as the Ryukyus.
Climate chart - Chichijima
In Chichi-jima, the temperatures are similar to those of Okinawa, with an average of 18 °C (64.5 °F) in January and February.
Chichijima - Average temperatures (1991-2020)
Temperatures (°C)
MonthMinMaxMean
January15.820.718.2
February15.420.518
March16.821.719.2
April18.823.421.1
May21.425.623.5
June24.428.526.4
July25.630.428
August26.130.328.2
September25.729.927.8
October24.428.626.5
November21.625.923.8
December18.222.720.4
Year21.225.723.4

At Chichi-jima and Iwo-jima, the rainfall amounts to 1.300 mm (51 in) per year; here too, in July there is a relative decrease in the rains.
Chichijima - Average precipitation
MonthRain (mm)Days
January6411
February528
March7610
April11310
May15212
June1129
July809
August12311
September14413
October14214
November13612
December10311
Year1295130

In total, there are 2,000 hours of sunshine per year. The sunniest month is July.
Chichijima - Sunshine hours
MonthAverageTotal
January4130
February5140
March5160
April5150
May5150
June7205
July8245
August7215
September6.5200
October5.5175
November4.5140
December4125
Year5.62030

In Minamitori-jima, a small atoll located far to the south-east, winter is even warmer, so much so that the average in February is 22 °C (71.5 °F). Here, just 1,000 mm (40 in) of rain fall per year, with two lows of around 45 mm (1.8 in) in February and June.

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.

See also the temperatures by month.


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