HOKKAIDO - Central Tokyo recorded its first November summer day in three years on November 6, with temperatures climbing to 25.3 degrees Celsius, while northern Japan faced the threat of violent winds and severe snowstorms from the evening and a tropical depression far south of the country threatened to develop into Typhoon No. 32, potentially the first such storm in 32 years.
The unusually warm weather came just one day before November 7, which marks Ritto, the traditional beginning of winter in the Japanese calendar, highlighting a sharp contrast between summer-like conditions across parts of the country and the approaching winter weather in the north.
Tokyo began November 6 under a blanket of thick fog, which obscured roughly half of Tokyo Skytree. The morning sun could be seen breaking through the mist before skies cleared and temperatures began rising rapidly.
By around 2 p.m., central Tokyo had reached 25.3 degrees, a level more typical of September and a dramatic turnaround from the chilly conditions recorded on November 5. It was the first time in three years that the capital had experienced a November day with temperatures reaching at least 25 degrees, the Japan Meteorological Agency's threshold for a "summer day."
In Ueno, visitors were seen removing jackets and switching to lighter clothing. One parent said the family had planned to take a child to the zoo wearing a fluffy panda-themed outfit but had to remove it because of the heat. "It was just too hot. We've even turned on a fan," the parent said.
Shizuoka City also experienced unseasonably warm conditions, with temperatures exceeding 25 degrees before noon and reaching a daytime high of 25.9 degrees. Residents were seen walking through the streets in short sleeves and shorts.
The summer-like temperatures created an unusual atmosphere at Tokyo's Ueno Park, where a Christmas market opened on November 6. Visitors wearing short sleeves and sandals strolled past Santa Claus decorations, while some chose cold drinks rather than traditional hot winter beverages. One visitor explained the choice of apple juice simply by saying, "Because it's hot."
At the Togoshi Ginza shopping street in Tokyo, however, the warm weather did little to discourage customers from enjoying oden, a traditional Japanese winter dish of ingredients simmered in hot broth. Diners were seen eating steaming bowls of oden alongside cold beer. "It's warm today, but this is the season for oden," one customer said.
While much of central Japan enjoyed unusually high temperatures, weather conditions were deteriorating farther north.
Heavy rain struck Niigata City during the afternoon of November 6, while large raindrops battered rooftops in Noboribetsu, Hokkaido, signaling the arrival of increasingly unstable weather.
Northern Japan was expected to face potentially dangerous conditions from the evening of November 6, with severe winds and blizzards strong enough to warrant weather warnings. Authorities were concerned that the approaching weather system could bring widespread disruption as rain turned to snow in colder areas.
Meanwhile, a tropical depression that had developed over waters far south of Japan was being closely monitored for signs of strengthening.
The system, sometimes described as a "typhoon egg," could develop into a tropical storm as early as November 7. If it reaches typhoon strength, it would be designated Typhoon No. 32, marking the first time in 32 years that the western North Pacific has recorded a 32nd named tropical storm within a single year.
The potential development would be particularly unusual for November, when Japan is normally transitioning toward winter and tropical cyclone activity affecting the country is generally declining.
The dramatic weather contrasts are expected to continue into the following week, when temperatures in Tokyo are forecast to plunge after the brief spell of summer-like warmth.
Overnight lows in the capital could fall below 10 degrees Celsius, bringing a sharp return to late-autumn and early-winter conditions after the unusually hot November 6.
The rapid temperature changes, combined with the threat of severe winds and heavy snow in northern Japan and the possible formation of another typhoon to the south, underscore the unusually unsettled weather affecting the country as winter approaches.
Source: FNN
