What happened to the rainy season?

With the mercury climbing above 35 degrees Celsius, or even higher, in many parts of Japan in recent days, it's hard to believe weather authorities declared the start of the rainy season just last week. So what happened to the rainy season?
For the past few days, the Kanto region recorded the year's first 'extremely hot day,' or days when the temperature hits 35 C or higher, prompting the government to issue heatstroke alerts. And it is still June, when temperatures are typically milder at between 20 C to 30 C.
People have been sporting parasols and carrying mini electric fans on the streets of Tokyo, with some complaining on social media that the weather is like 'hell.'
In Tokyo, at least 562 people have been taken to the hospital for suspected heatstroke so far this month, according to the Tokyo Fire Department, including 24 people between the ages of 18 to 94 on Friday as of 3 p.m. Several deaths from suspected heatstroke have been reported in other parts of Japan.
Chihiro Kazama, a forecaster at the Meteorological Agency, said the recent spike in temperatures is due to a temporary weakening of the seasonal rain front, which brought more sunny days and allowed temperatures to rise.
'Looking at the situation over a longer period, the jet stream has been flowing farther north than usual. You can think of it as the boundary between warm and cold air. Since it has shifted northward, it means that areas around Japan are more likely to be covered by warm air,' he said.
The abnormally hot weather is also caused by the Pacific high pressure system, which is stronger than normal.
However, the seasonal rain front is expected to return near mainland Japan early next week, bringing conditions more typical of the rainy season. A similar case as this year's rainy season was also seen in 2022.
Meanwhile, the rainy season in Okinawa Prefecture and the Amami islands officially ended on June 8 and on Thursday, respectively, both over 10 days earlier than average.
Kazama said the rainy season ended early in those areas because the high pressure system was stronger than usual.
With temperatures expected to hit 30 C and higher in the following weeks, Kazama advised individuals to be careful of the hot weather affecting their health.
'If you start feeling unwell, it's important to use air conditioning or take similar measures to stay safe,' he said.
As human-induced climate change rewrites temperature records across the country, the number of emergency transports due to heatstroke have been on the rise nationwide in the last five years, with the exception of 2021 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Last year, 97,578 people were taken to the hospital for suspected heatstroke, up from 64,869 in 2020.

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Japan Times

6 hours ago

• Japan Times

What happened to the rainy season?

With the mercury climbing above 35 degrees Celsius, or even higher, in many parts of Japan in recent days, it's hard to believe weather authorities declared the start of the rainy season just last week. So what happened to the rainy season? For the past few days, the Kanto region recorded the year's first 'extremely hot day,' or days when the temperature hits 35 C or higher, prompting the government to issue heatstroke alerts. And it is still June, when temperatures are typically milder at between 20 C to 30 C. People have been sporting parasols and carrying mini electric fans on the streets of Tokyo, with some complaining on social media that the weather is like 'hell.' In Tokyo, at least 562 people have been taken to the hospital for suspected heatstroke so far this month, according to the Tokyo Fire Department, including 24 people between the ages of 18 to 94 on Friday as of 3 p.m. Several deaths from suspected heatstroke have been reported in other parts of Japan. Chihiro Kazama, a forecaster at the Meteorological Agency, said the recent spike in temperatures is due to a temporary weakening of the seasonal rain front, which brought more sunny days and allowed temperatures to rise. 'Looking at the situation over a longer period, the jet stream has been flowing farther north than usual. You can think of it as the boundary between warm and cold air. Since it has shifted northward, it means that areas around Japan are more likely to be covered by warm air,' he said. The abnormally hot weather is also caused by the Pacific high pressure system, which is stronger than normal. However, the seasonal rain front is expected to return near mainland Japan early next week, bringing conditions more typical of the rainy season. A similar case as this year's rainy season was also seen in 2022. Meanwhile, the rainy season in Okinawa Prefecture and the Amami islands officially ended on June 8 and on Thursday, respectively, both over 10 days earlier than average. Kazama said the rainy season ended early in those areas because the high pressure system was stronger than usual. With temperatures expected to hit 30 C and higher in the following weeks, Kazama advised individuals to be careful of the hot weather affecting their health. 'If you start feeling unwell, it's important to use air conditioning or take similar measures to stay safe,' he said. As human-induced climate change rewrites temperature records across the country, the number of emergency transports due to heatstroke have been on the rise nationwide in the last five years, with the exception of 2021 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, 97,578 people were taken to the hospital for suspected heatstroke, up from 64,869 in 2020.

NHK

a day ago

• NHK

Heatwave continues over much of Japan

A heatwave has continued to grip much of Japan. The mercury reached 35 degrees Celsius or higher on Thursday for the third consecutive day in some places. The Meteorological Agency says a high pressure system prevailed over a wide area. The agency says the rainy season appears to be over in the Amami region of Kagoshima Prefecture. That is ten days earlier than average and three days earlier than last year in the region. Temperatures soared across the country due to intense sunshine. A daytime high of 36.9 degrees was recorded in the city of Tajimi in Gifu Prefecture, while Kiryu in Gunma Prefecture reached 36.7 degrees, and Nagoya and Kofu registered 36.3 degrees. Temperatures of 30 degrees or higher were logged at 598 locations, or about two-thirds of more than 900 observation points across Japan. Temperatures of 35 degrees or higher were recorded at 56. High temperatures are also expected on Friday, mainly in western Japan. Toyooka City in Hyogo Prefecture and Kyoto City may have a daytime high of 37 degrees, while Tottori and some other cities are forecast to reach a high of 35 degrees. Central Tokyo is expected to show a high of 32 degrees. Heatstroke alerts have been issued for Okinawa's main island region. Some people have died with symptoms of heatstroke over the past several days. Hot and humid conditions are expected to continue through the night. People are advised to use air conditioners as needed, take liquids and salt, and rest frequently during outdoor activities. Meanwhile, atmospheric conditions are unstable in Tohoku, Kanto-Koshin and other regions, and rain clouds are developing in some parts. Officials are calling for caution against lightning strikes and strong gusts such as tornadoes through late Thursday night.

NHK

2 days ago

• NHK

Heatwave continues to grip Japan

Sweltering heat continued to grip much of Japan on Wednesday. The mercury reached 35 degrees Celsius or higher in many places. The Meteorological Agency says a high pressure system prevailed over wide areas. A daytime high of 37.6 degrees was recorded in the city of Tajimi in Gifu Prefecture, while Toyota in Aichi Prefecture reached 37.5 degrees and Nagoya 36.8 degrees. Kyoto registered a high of 36.5 degrees and Kofu 36.2 degrees. Fukushima and Maebashi both topped out at 36 degrees. Central Tokyo had a high of 34.4 degrees. Firefighting authorities in Mie Prefecture say a woman in her 70s was taken to hospital for suspected heatstroke, and was later pronounced dead. Authorities in Kanagawa Prefecture also say that a woman in her 90s in the city of Odawara was found collapsed on her bed and later confirmed dead. They suspect she suffered heatstroke. The Tokyo Fire Department says that as of 3 p.m., 57 people aged between 15 and 94 were taken to hospital with suspected heatstroke. High temperatures are also expected on Thursday. The cities of Nagoya and Gifu can expect a daytime high of 37 degrees, while a high of 36 degrees is forecast for Kyoto, Nara and Okayama. Takamatsu, Kofu, Maebashi and some other cities can expect a high of 35 degrees. People are advised to use air conditioners as needed, take liquids and salt and rest frequently during outdoor activities.