Japan logs two new highest temperatures on record in a day

Al Jazeera

5 hours ago

Japan has logged two new heat records in a day with the mercury hitting 41.6 degrees Celsius (106.8 degrees Fahrenheit) and then 41.8C (107.2F), according to the country's Meteorological Agency, warning that temperatures may rise further.
The scorching temperatures in the city of Isesaki, located in southern Gunma Prefecture in the country's northern Kanto region, on Tuesday surpassed the previous record seen in the western Hyogo region of 41.2C (106.2F) last week.
The previous high was 41.1C (106F) – seen in 2020 and 2018.
The record temperatures came as last month was declared the hottest since records began in 1898, the weather agency said on Friday, with the average monthly temperature 2.89C above the 1991-2020 average.
Last week in tourist hotspot Kyoto, the mercury hit 40C (104F), the first time any of its observation points – the oldest opened in 1880, the newest in 2002 – had seen such a high, authorities said.
Heatstroke alerts were issued in 44 of Japan's 47 prefectures.
Japan's summer last year was the joint hottest on record, equalling the level seen in 2023, followed by the warmest autumn since records began 126 years ago.
Temperatures around the world have soared in recent years as climate change creates ever more erratic weather patterns, and Japan is no exception.
Experts warn Japan's beloved cherry trees are blooming earlier due to the warmer climate – or sometimes not fully blossoming – because autumns and winters are not cold enough to trigger flowering.
The famous snowcap of Mount Fuji was absent for the longest recorded period last year, not appearing until early November, compared with the average of early October.
Neighbouring South Korea also saw its second-hottest July, with an average temperature of 27.1C (80.8F), according to the meteorological office, which has been collecting such data since 1973.
The hottest July on record in South Korea was in 1994, when the average temperature reached 27.7C (81.9F) .
In Japan, some dams and paddies nationwide are experiencing a water shortage, with farmers complaining that the sizzling heat combined with the lack of rain is slowing rice cultivation.
Precipitation in July was low over wide areas of Japan, with northern regions facing the Sea of Japan experiencing record low rainfall, it added. The rainy season ended about three weeks earlier than usual in western regions of Japan, another record.
Every summer, Japanese officials urge the public to seek shelter in air-conditioned rooms to avoid heatstroke, stay hydrated and avoid outdoor activities during peak heat hours.
The elderly in Japan – which has the world's second-oldest population after Monaco – are particularly at risk.
This year, Western Europe saw its hottest June on record, as extreme temperatures blasted the region in punishing back-to-back heatwaves, according to the EU climate monitor, Copernicus.
Dangerous weather stretched into July, with separate research estimating that climate change made the temperature up to 4C hotter, pushing the thermometer into deadly territory for thousands of vulnerable people and greatly worsening the projected death toll.
Millions were exposed to high heat stress as daily average temperatures in Western Europe climbed to levels rarely seen before – and never so early in the summer.