Satellite Malfunction Leaves Japan Weather Images Unavailable

Nov 11, 2024 | News On Japan

TOKYO - The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) is currently experiencing issues displaying images from the Himawari weather satellite on its official website. Efforts are underway to identify the cause and restore normal service, but the timeline for recovery remains unclear.

Japan Meteorological Agency, Meteorological Satellite Division, Deputy Director Takuya Miyagawa: "Since around 4 a.m. this morning, there has been a malfunction in Himawari's observation functions. We are working to ensure that there is no disruption to weather warnings and advisories."

According to the JMA, a malfunction occurred with the Himawari-9 weather satellite at around 4 a.m., preventing infrared and water vapor images from displaying properly on the agency’s website.

While monitoring for typhoons and volcanic ash is affected, the JMA confirmed that there is no impact on the issuance of warnings and advisories. It is believed that the malfunction stems from an issue with Himawari-9’s observation equipment. Efforts are ongoing to restore Himawari-9’s functions, with a possible switch to the backup Himawari-8 satellite under consideration.

Source: TBS

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