Mt Fuji Weather Forecast

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Climbing Mount Fuji is not as easy as you think

Don't think that climbing Mount Fuji is the same as other ordinary mountaineering activities.
The reality is that Mount Fuji is a 3,776-meter-high independent mountain. It is definitely more difficult than you think to climb to the top of the mountain.
There are no other mountains around Mt. Fuji, and when the wind from Suruga Bay and Sagami Bay blows towards Mt. Fuji, the mountain is often vulnerable to strong winds.

During the climbing season of Mount Fuji from July to September, there are occasional gusts of strong winds of storm or gale level.
In addition to strong winds, the weather at the top of the mountain, the fifth station trailhead, and sea level changes rapidly, and the temperature difference is very large.
Therefore, in order to climb the mountain safely, in addition to preparing appropriate equipment before departure, you should also pay attention to the following points.

further reading

More thematic itinerary sharing for climbing Mount Fuji

Kawaguchiko Station Weather Forecast
Kawaguchiko scenic spot itinerary recommendation
A hot spring hotel with a private bath and Mt. Fuji view from the room
Transportation arrangements from Tokyo to Lake Kawaguchi and Mount Fuji

Weather changes to be aware of when climbing Mount Fuji

Mount Fuji is a place where the weather changes very quickly, so when you plan to set out to climb Mount Fuji, the following points need to be paid more attention to.

temperature drops with altitude

The basic concept is that the temperature will drop by about 0.6 degrees for every 100 meters of elevation difference.
In addition to the temperature drop, the strong wind on the mountain will take away the body temperature. About every 1m of wind speed, the body temperature will drop by 1 degree.
If you start your journey from Lake Kawaguchi, start at Fuji Subaru Line (5th station of Yoshida Line), and then climb to the top of the mountain, you will experience the feeling of turning from midsummer to cold winter within two days and one night.

That is to say, when we set off, the temperature at sea level is 25 degrees, and when we reach the fifth station, it is about 14 degrees. When we reach the summit, the temperature is only about 5-7 degrees. There is a temperature difference of about 20 degrees up and down the mountain.

very cold before sunrise

If you plan to set off from the mountain hut to the top of the mountain in the middle of the night to watch the sunrise of Yulaiguang, you should pay attention to whether you have enough warm equipment.
The temperature on the top of the mountain before sunrise can be as low as 0 degrees, so keep warm in a cold environment for a long time to prevent hypothermia.
What kind of equipment do you need while waiting for Yulaiguang? You can refer to: Mount Fuji Climbing - Equipment and Clothing

Frequent thunderstorms in summer

During the mountaineering, there is a chance to encounter thunderstorms from time to time.

Before setting off from the mountain hut at night to watch the Imperial Light, you should first check the weather conditions with the staff of the mountain hut, and they will be happy to answer your questions.
At the same time, you should also follow the instructions of the mountaineering guides. When a thunderstorm warning is issued, please do not continue to climb the mountain. You should find a safe place to take shelter.
In an emergency, it would be the best choice to decisively suspend the trip and go down the mountain immediately.

Weather information to be aware of before departure

Watch out for weather warnings issued by your local Meteorological Office

When climbing, there will often be strong winds or thunderstorms. To check whether there is a storm warning or thunderstorm warning on the day of departure, you can check the website of the local Meteorological Agency
Yamanashi Meteorological Agency weather warning

Shizuoka Prefectural Meteorological Agency weather warning

Start by selecting the type of alert you want to see, such as storm or thunderstorm, etc.
The gray area means that there is no relevant weather warning for the time being
Yellow means to pay attention to the weather and other warnings
Red indicates an alert level that requires special attention
Although there are no warnings/cautions issued on some mountaineering days, it is still necessary to prepare gear for rain and cold.

The temperature and humidity of Mount Fuji today

There is a weather observation station on the top of Mt. Fuji, you can refer to the temperature and humidity records of yesterday and the day before departure.
Mount Fuji top meteorological observation weather records

Check the weather forecast for Mt. Fuji for the next few days

On the day of mountaineering, good weather is an important condition for successful mountaineering.
Because regardless of the temperature, sunny/rainy day, wind direction and speed, rainfall probability, etc., it will affect the mountaineering itinerary and the equipment that needs to be carried.
In case of bad weather, you should consider terminating the mountaineering trip, safety first.

In the Japan Meteorological Association, you can check the temperature and sunny/rainy weather information. In addition, てんきとくらす (Tenkura / Weather and Life) can check the mountaineering temperature, wind speed and weather rating for the next few days.
Ratings are A-level/B-level/C-level. A-level weather is suitable for climbing Mount Fuji, while C-level weather is not suitable for climbing due to strong wind and rain, and the chance of seeing the sunrise is also very low.
(According to RakuRaku’s experience, it’s very unlikely that the weather will be A-level weather from morning to night. Sometimes it’s A-level weather at the time of departure, and C-level weather before sunrise. I’ve also tried C-level weather at the time of departure. Grade A weather before departure.)
Mount Fuji Weather Forecast (Japan Meteorological Association)

Fuji Mountain Climbing Weather Rating Forecast (てんきとくらす/Tenkura)

Check the weather conditions at the Yoshida Line trailhead using live images

Worried about the weather conditions at the trailhead before departure? In fact, you can now view real-time images of the trailhead online.
Yoshida Line 5th Station Trailhead Entrance Live Camera Video

Mount Fuji and the rainy season

The rainy season refers to the heavy rain for many consecutive days for a long time. It is very difficult to climb a mountain without thinking about it during the heavy rain. The start and end dates of the Meiyu period are different every year, generally starting in mid-June and ending in late July. If you plan to avoid mountaineering during the rainy season, you may consider climbing after late July.
Past records and predictions of the rainy season in Mount Fuji area
"入り" refers to the date when the rainy season begins, and "明け" refers to the date when the rainy season ends. The start and end dates of the rainy season are not fixed.

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