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.
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