Which cities were cool (but not hot) in the summer of 2020?

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The summer of 2020: a look at ‘cities that weren’t relatively hot’.

The summer of 2020 was hot, wasn’t it? I made a ranking of major cities based on weather data in Japan to see which cities were hot and which cities were cool.

Hokkaido and Okinawa prefectures are excluded from this survey because they are clearly cooler and hotter than the rest of Japan.

Cities that were not hot (relatively cool cities)

with weather stations and relatively large populations). Although Karuizawa is a small city in terms of population, it is listed as a comparison because of its popularity as a summer resort.

Since Karuizawa is a summer resort, it is naturally assumed that it is not hot, but after Karuizawa, the next two cities that are not hot are Iwaki City and Choshi City.

Compared to the fourth-ranked Aomori City (the northernmost city in Honshu), there is a difference of more than one degree Celsius, which suggests that both cities are cooler than the others. The difference between the worst city, Hamamatsu City, and Iwaki City is 8.3 degrees Celsius. That’s a big difference.

Looking at this alone, you may think that Karuizawa Town, Iwaki City, and Choshi City are better. However, there is a problem with humidity. (This may be a bad thing to say to those who live there. But it’s true, so I’m sorry…)

The average humidity in August for each is as follows

Karuizawa Town and Choshi City: 87% (the worst)
Iwaki City: 85% (second worst)

Incidentally, Karuizawa Town is famous for its high humidity.
Fog frequently occurs.

When I pass through Kanetsu Expressway, I encounter the fog of Usui Pass, so I wonder if topographical factors have something to do with it. Iwaki City (Onahama) and Choshi City are coastal cities, so humidity from the sea is probably the reason.

So even if the maximum temperature is not that high, we need to be careful about the high humidity. This issue is easily solvable in the summer because if you have a dehumidifier in your room, you can stay comfortable without any problem.

If it’s not too hot, but the humidity is high, the discomfort index will be high. On the other hand, if it’s hot, but the humidity is low, the discomfort won’t be as high.

On the other hand, if it is hot but not humid, the discomfort is not that high. I am one of them, and I assume that these cities have a nice cool breeze blowing through them.

Now, let’s take a look at which cities are the lowest in terms of humidity.

Reference; Ranking of cities with the lowest average daily humidity in August

Hiroshima City and Kyoto City are ranked at the top.
The big question is why in western Japan where it is considered hot? I have a big question, but I’m sure it’s because the data shows it (sorry to those in the Kansai region).

What is a city with a small difference in temperature?

Finally, here are the average daily temperatures in January for cities that do not have the highest temperatures in August.

By comparing them, we can see which cities have a small difference in temperature between summer and winter, and thus whether they have a relatively cool summer and warm winter climate.
This ranking is for 2020, and includes the top 10 cities with the lowest maximum temperatures in August (only major cities in Japan are included, so small towns and villages are excluded).

As it turns out, the coastal cities of Iwaki, Choshi, Nobeoka, Tateyama, and Shimonoseki have the highest average temperatures even in winter, while Karuizawa, which had the lowest maximum temperature in August, has a daily average temperature of -0.7°C in January, which is below freezing. There is a big difference between cold and warm…

If you think about it, Iwaki City, Choshi City, and Nobeoka City, which have relatively cool summers (according to my research, Nobeoka and Iwaki seem to be brother cities), are probably the best places to live in terms of climate.

However, I think it’s impossible to understand unless you actually experience it for yourself, so I recommend that you go sightseeing (Spa Resort Hawaiians in Iwaki City? It would be a good idea to go sightseeing (Spa Resort Hawaiians for Iwaki City, Inubosaki Lighthouse and Choshi Electric Railway for Choshi City, I guess)!

So, that’s it for this blog. See you soon!