TOKYO –
Japan experienced its coldest morning of the season on October 29th, with temperatures falling to new seasonal lows at 616 observation stations nationwide, following a powerful outbreak of cold air that brought the first snow to northern Japan and strong winter winds to Tokyo and western regions the previous day.
The cold snap affected roughly two-thirds of Japan’s 914 weather observation stations, with temperatures dropping into single digits across much of the country. Central Tokyo recorded a minimum of 10.4 degrees Celsius, while many urban areas further inland across the Kanto region fell below 10 degrees.
In Hokkaido, the temperature plunged to minus 6.3 degrees in Taiki and minus 6.0 degrees in Shibecha, marking the first readings below minus 6 degrees anywhere in Japan this season. On the main island of Honshu, Sugadaira in Nagano Prefecture recorded minus 4.6 degrees, highlighting the widespread reach of the cold air mass.
Among major cities, Sapporo recorded a morning low of 2.3 degrees, Sendai 6.2 degrees, Nagoya 8.6 degrees, Osaka 10.1 degrees and Fukuoka 11.9 degrees. All except Sapporo registered their lowest temperatures of the season.
The unusually cold morning followed the arrival of the season’s strongest cold air mass on October 28th, which brought the first snowfall to several cities in Hokkaido and northern Honshu.
Snow fell in Sapporo, Hakodate, Muroran, Obihiro, Kushiro, Abashiri and Aomori, while powerful winds whipped through northern Japan as a winter pressure pattern developed across the country.
In Sapporo, gusts exceeding 20 meters per second sent snow swirling through the streets, while mountain areas experienced blizzard-like conditions. In Aomori, the first snowfall arrived in October for the first time in 16 years, with large flakes also reported in Hachinohe.
Snow accumulation reached 22 centimeters in the mountainous Sukayu area of Aomori, where icy roads contributed to traffic accidents. One passenger car reportedly skidded before colliding with a bus, underscoring the dangers of the abrupt change in road conditions.
The early snowfall also extended to several mountain ranges, with the season’s first snow cover observed on Mount Iwaki in Aomori, Mount Zao between Miyagi and Yamagata prefectures, and Mount Hakusan in central Japan.
Further south, the Japan Meteorological Agency announced the season’s first “kogarashi ichigo,” the cold northerly winds traditionally associated with the arrival of winter, in both the Tokyo and Kinki regions on October 28th.
Central Tokyo recorded a maximum instantaneous wind speed of 16.9 meters per second at 5:20 a.m., while Hikone in Shiga Prefecture registered a gust of 15.2 meters per second. The winds arrived six days earlier than last year and marked Tokyo’s first officially recognized October occurrence in nine years.
The strong winds disrupted rail services in the capital, including the JR Keihin-Tohoku Line, where a fallen tree obstructed tracks between Tabata and Kaminakazato stations. The Keiyo Line also experienced delays after an object interfered with overhead electrical equipment.
The abrupt arrival of winter weather prompted residents to bring out heavier clothing and heating appliances. At a cleaning shop in Tokyo, customers were increasingly bringing in coats and other winter garments to be cleaned before use, while food retailers reported growing demand for warming dishes such as oden.
At Masuei Kamaboko, a traditional fish cake shop in Tokyo’s Koto Ward, owner Yukitoshi Nakajima said business typically begins increasing when temperatures fall below 25 degrees, with the main season for oden starting once temperatures drop below 20 degrees.
The cold weather began easing during October 29th as winds weakened and clearer skies returned to northern Japan and areas along the Sea of Japan coast. However, the sunny conditions following the arrival of cold air also contributed to the sharp overnight temperature drop, as heat escaped rapidly from the ground under relatively clear skies, a phenomenon known as radiational cooling.
Daytime temperatures were expected to recover in many regions, with highs of around 21 degrees forecast for Nagoya and Osaka and 20 degrees in Fukuoka. Tokyo, however, was expected to remain cooler under cloudier skies, with a high of around 16 to 17 degrees, approximately three degrees lower than the previous day.
The improvement in weather is expected to be short-lived, with another area of rain clouds approaching from western Japan during the evening of October 29th.
Rain is forecast to begin spreading across Kyushu and the Chugoku region, including Hiroshima, later in the evening, becoming heavier in some areas overnight. Southern Kanto could also experience scattered showers, particularly around Chiba Prefecture, while rain is expected to return to the Sea of Japan side of Hokkaido.
By the morning of October 30th, rain is forecast across much of western Japan, although conditions should gradually improve from the west during the afternoon. Eastern Japan, meanwhile, could see more widespread cloud cover and rain as the weather system moves eastward.
The Kanto region is expected to avoid the most widespread rainfall because mountains to the west will block some of the incoming moisture, although scattered showers remain possible during the late afternoon and evening.
Another surge of cold air is forecast to bring rain to northern Japan’s Sea of Japan coast and the Hokuriku region on October 31st, before high pressure brings generally clearer conditions across much of the country on November 1st.
Attention is also turning to Typhoon No. 31, which could complicate weather conditions around Japan’s southern islands during the coming week.
As of 9 a.m. on October 29th, Typhoon No. 31 was moving westward near Minamitorishima at approximately 30 kilometers per hour. The very strong typhoon had a central atmospheric pressure of 940 hectopascals, maximum sustained winds of 45 meters per second and gusts reaching 65 meters per second.
The storm is forecast to approach waters south of the Ogasawara Islands around November 1st before slowing and potentially turning westward again as a high-pressure system over Japan influences its movement.
Forecast models remain divided over the storm’s longer-term track, with some indicating that its rain clouds could remain near the Ogasawara Islands during the latter half of next week, while others suggest a position further west near the Izu Islands.
The uncertainty means the timing and extent of any impact on Japan remain difficult to determine. However, high waves and rough seas are expected to develop around the Ogasawara Islands from the weekend, with potentially dangerous conditions continuing into next week.
Meanwhile, a separate weather system is expected to bring rain to widespread areas of eastern Japan around November 2nd, although the timing and intensity may change as forecasts are updated.
The sharp temperature fluctuations and rapidly changing weather highlight Japan’s transition from autumn to winter, with the first snow and freezing mornings arriving even as parts of the country are still enjoying autumn foliage.
Forecasters are urging residents to prepare for colder mornings, changing weather and hazardous conditions on mountain roads, while continuing to monitor Typhoon No. 31 as it approaches Japan’s southern waters.