The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25 °C (77 °F), and lowest in January, at around −0.1 °C (31.8 °F), just below the 0.0 °C (32.0 °F) isotherm required to earn the Humid Subtropical (Cfa) climate classification.

[2] Yamagata city is part of the heavy snow area of Japan (Gosetsu chitai, 豪雪地帯) with snowfall most days throughout the winter season.

Yamagata City is located in a wide central valley that can heat up quickly in spring and summer and is often grey and humid, while to the east in Miyagi Prefecture on the Pacific coast it is usually clearer and more temperate.

[5] Yamagata has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 33 members.

In terms of national politics, the city is part of Yamagata District 1 of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.