Following the hottest summer on record, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) warns that fall will be short-lived, leading to an abrupt start to winter.
In its long-term forecast, the JMA predicts widespread high temperatures in October. However, starting around December, cold air will become dominant, with below-normal temperatures possible across Eastern and Western Japan.
Late Warmth, Sudden Chill
The three-month outlook highlights these dramatic shifts. According to early forecasts, October will see warm air settle over the country, leading to “above normal” temperatures nationwide. November will continue to see “near or above normal” warmth across regions, but a sudden chill is expected to arrive earlier than usual, in late November and early December.
The JMA believes this is tied to conditions resembling the La Niña phenomenon, which involves cooler-than-average sea surface temperatures off the coast of Peru.
Shirakawa-go (Gifu Prefecture)
What This Could Mean
Typically, popular tourist areas such as Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka see mildly chilly temperatures from mid- to late December. Tokyo’s monthly average maximum temperature was 17.8 and 13.2 degrees Celsius for November and December respectively last year, and in Kyoto, it was 18.7 and 11.8 degrees Celsius.
This year’s irregular winter weather pattern might mean that visitors face a less predictable forecast for fall foliage viewing. It could also mean that the peak period for fall foliage viewing might be shorter than normal.
Yoshinori Oikawa, Director of the JMA’s Abnormal Weather Information Center, stressed the need for caution, as temperatures could still reach 30 degrees Celsius or higher in early October. He added that people should prepare for a seasonal whiplash as “temperatures will likely feel warm until mid-November, and then suddenly become cold.”
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AloJapan.com