17 temperature records broken in just one day in Japan
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) announced on August 4 that 17 temperature records were broken across the country, after Japan experienced its hottest June and July on record. Scientists say heat waves are becoming more intense and frequent around the world due to human-caused climate change, and Japan is no exception.
According to AFP, Komatsu city, in the Ishikawa region in central Japan, recorded a new record of 40.3 degrees Celsius today, August 4. Toyama city in Toyama prefecture, also in central Japan, reached 39.8 degrees Celsius, the highest temperature since records began.
Fifteen other locations across cities and towns also soared to new record highs, ranging from 35.7 degrees Celsius to 39.8 degrees Celsius, the JMA said. The agency is currently monitoring temperatures at more than 900 locations in Japan.
Earlier, on July 30, Japan experienced the day with the highest temperature ever recorded, reaching 41.2 degrees Celsius in the western Hyogo region.
This year, Japan had its hottest June and July since data collection began in 1898, and the JMA warned of further "extreme heat" in the coming months.
The intense heat wave is taking its toll. This year’s rainy season ended about three weeks earlier than usual in parts of western Japan, another record.
Due to low rainfall and prolonged heatwave, some dams in the northern region have almost run dry. The Land Ministry said farmers are worried that water shortages and extreme temperatures could lead to a failed harvest.
Experts also warn that Japan’s iconic cherry blossom trees are blooming earlier due to a warming climate, or sometimes not fully blooming because the autumn and winter are not cold enough to trigger the flowering process. Mount Fuji’s famous snowcap disappeared for a record long time last year, appearing in early November, compared to the average of early October.
The rate of temperature increase is uneven across the world. According to global data from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), among continents, Europe has seen the fastest warming decade-by-decade since 1990, followed by Asia./.
