HOKKAIDO CLIMATE

Hokkaido Climate - Details of Hokkaido's climate.

Hokkaido is known for its cool summers (which attract many tourists from other parts of Japan) and icy winters. The average August temperature is around 22°C (72°F), while the average January temperature ranges from −12°C to −4°C (10°F to 25°F) depending on elevation and latitude. The island tends to see isolated snowstorms that develop long-lasting snowbanks, in contrast to the constant flurries seen in the Hokuriku region.

During the winter, passage through the Sea of Okhotsk is often complicated by large ice floes broken loose from the Kamchatka Peninsula. Combined with high winds that occur during winter, this brings air travel and maritime activity almost to a halt on the northern coast of Hokkaido.

It is Hokkaido's climate that has made it such a popular place for tourists from countries such as Australia. Hokkaido's climate creates great snow skiing with metres of powder snow in locations like Niseko. The other advantage is the ski season in Hokkaido is at the opposite time of year to that in Australia.

(Article based on Wikipedia article and used under the GNU Free Documentation License)