By TAKUYA MIYANO/ Staff Writer
November 24, 2022 at 17:48 JST
Snow falls on Tokyo’s Hibiya Park on Jan. 7, 2022. (Taku Hosokawa)
Much of Japan will experience colder-than-average temperatures from December to February and be at a greater risk of heavy snowfalls, the Japan Meteorological Agency said on Nov. 22.
According to the JMA’s three-month forecast, temperatures across Japan will be warmer than average in the first half of December, but they will drop in the second half.
In January, temperatures will be at average levels or colder in eastern and western parts of Japan, as well as in Okinawa Prefecture and the Amami islands of Kagoshima Prefecture, the JMA said.
Temperatures in northern Japan will remain at average levels during that month.
From February, temperatures across Japan should return to average levels, the agency said.
The forecast also said that from the first half of December, areas on the Sea of Japan side in eastern and western Japan will receive average or above-average snowfall levels.
The usual amount of snow will likely fall on areas on the Sea of Japan side in northern Japan over the three months, the forecast said.
The La Nina weather phenomenon, which causes lower-than-average sea surface temperatures near the equator in the eastern part of the Pacific Ocean, has been occurring since autumn 2021.
The agency said La Nina brought colder-than-average weather to Japan last winter.
However, the latest forecast said there is a 50-percent chance the phenomenon will end by February.
Takafumi Umeda, director of the agency’s center for abnormal weather information, predicts that the waning effect of La Nina will bring average temperatures to Japan in February, except in Okinawa Prefecture and the Amami islands.
The JMA also said temperatures from September to November have been higher than normal across the country.
Northern, eastern and western parts of Japan were often surrounded by high pressure systems and enjoyed longer daylight hours.
Northern and eastern parts of Japan experienced only a small amount of rainfall this fall. However, heavy rainfalls hit Okinawa Prefecture and the Amami islands.
VOX POPULI: Russia-caused power outages threaten lives of Ukraine citizens
November 9, 2022
Oct. 7 the ‘coldest day’ in 88 years in Tokyo around this time of year
October 8, 2022
Blame cold air from North Pole for bad blast of winter this year
March 15, 2022
Heavy snowfall forecast for Sea of Japan areas through Feb. 18
February 17, 2022
Call for public, businesses to crimp on power usage in winter
November 2, 2022
Japan creates new alert for risk of subsequent earthquakes
November 9, 2022
Stories about memories of cherry blossoms solicited from readers
Cooking experts, chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life.
A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry
A series on the death of a Japanese woman that sparked a debate about criminal justice policy in the United States
A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II
Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors.
