Japan’s weather officials say that temperatures across the country on Wednesday may reach record highs, posing a danger to people in eastern Hokkaido, including areas near the Sea of Okhotsk.
The Japan Meteorological Agency says the heat wave is expected to intensify across the country as a high pressure system blankets the archipelago.
The mercury has topped 38 degrees Celsius in several places, including in the town of Bihoro in Hokkaido. Similar readings were seen in the prefectures of Fukushima and Kyoto.
In Hokkaido’s Shari Town, a woman in her 90s died after suffering from suspected heatstroke.
Heatstroke alerts have been issued across Japan, from Hokkaido in the north to Okinawa Prefecture in the south.
High temperatures during the day and cold air above are expected to cause extremely unstable atmospheric conditions. Weather officials say that inland areas may see sudden changes on Wednesday afternoon, including the possibility of heavy rainfall.
AloJapan.com