The main purpose of this ongoing blog will be to track planetary extreme, or record temperatures related to climate change. Any reports I see of ETs will be listed below the main topic of the day. I’ll refer to extreme or record temperatures as ETs (not extraterrestrials).😜
Main Topic: Japan Experiencing Season Long Historic Heatwave
Dear Diary. During the last few years Japan has experienced some horrific heatwaves. The island country traditionally has a mild climate since it is surrounded by water that keeps temperatures in check from getting much above 90°F/32°C. No more. A massive marine heatwave has taken over the North Pacific:
As I’ve stated before, we have a negative feedback situation going on here. Record heat is warming the north Pacific, which in turn is supporting more record heat from China and Korea into Japan. Heatwaves are becoming so bad in Japan that we are getting reports of many fatalities in that country.
Today an eye opening heat dome is over Japan:
Here is a recent AP article describing how bad conditions are getting in Japan. (For a video that I did not reprint, hit the following link.):
More than 120 people died in Tokyo from heatstroke in July as average temperatures hit record highs
By MARI YAMAGUCHI Updated 9:34 AM EDT, August 6, 2024
TOKYO (AP) — More than 120 people died of heatstroke in the Tokyo metropolitan area in July, when the nation’s average temperature hit record highs and heat warnings were in effect much of the month, Japanese authorities said Tuesday.
According to the Tokyo Medical Examiner’s Office, many of the 123 people who died were elderly. All but two were found dead indoors, and most were not using air conditioners despite having them installed.
Japanese health authorities and weather forecasters repeatedly advised people to stay indoors, consume ample liquids to avoid dehydration and use air conditioning, because elderly people often think that air conditioning is not good for one’s health and tend to avoid using it.
It was the largest number of heatstroke deaths in Tokyo’s 23 metropolitan districts in July since 127 deaths were recorded during a 2018 heatwave, the medical examiner’s office said.
More than 37,000 people were treated at hospitals for heatstroke across Japan from July 1 to July 28, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.
The average temperature in July was 2.16 degrees Celsius (3.89 degrees Fahrenheit) higher than the average over the past 30 years, making it the hottest July since the Japan Meteorological Agency began keeping records in 1898.
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On Tuesday, heatstroke warnings were in place in much of Tokyo and western Japan. The temperature rose to about 34 C (93 F) in downtown Tokyo, where many people carried parasols or handheld fans.
“I feel every year the hot period is getting longer,” said Hidehiro Takano from Kyoto. “I have the aircon on all the time, including while I’m sleeping. I try not to go outside.”
Maxime Picavet, a French tourist, showed a portable fan he bought in Tokyo. “It works very, very well,” he said. “With this temperature, it’s a necessity.”
The meteorological agency predicted more heat in August, with temperatures of 35 C (95 F) or higher.
“Please pay attention to temperature forecasts and heatstroke alerts and take adequate precautions to prevent heatstroke,” it said in a statement.
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Associated Press video journalist Ayaka McGill contributed to this report.
Yamaguchi is based in Tokyo and covers Japanese politics, security, nuclear energy and social issues for The Associated Press.
Here are more “ET’s” recorded from around the planet the last couple of days, their consequences, and some extreme temperature outlooks, as well as any extreme precipitation reports:
(As usual, this will be a fluid post in which more information gets added during the day as it crosses my radar, crediting all who have put it on-line. Items will be archived on this site for posterity. In most instances click on the pictures of each tweet to see each article. The most noteworthy items will be listed first.)