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List of extreme temperatures in Japan

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Since the establishment of the first weather station in Hakodate in 1872, Japan has recorded temperature changes across the country. According to the data provided by Japan Meteorological Agency, the maximum recorded temperature in Japan was 41.1°C in Hamamatsu on August 17, 2020, and Kumagaya on July, 23, 2018, while the minimum recorded temperature was −41.0 °C (−41.8 °F) in Asahikawa on January 25, 1902. Below is a list of the most extreme temperatures recorded in Japan.

Minami-Tori-shima is the region with the highest annual average temperature in Japan.

In the whole of Japan, the place with the lowest annual average temperature is not Hokkaido, but Mount Fuji at the junction of Shizuoka and Yamanashi prefecture. The annual average temperature is −5.9 °C (21.4 °F), which is the average annual temperature of all weather stations in Japan so far. The only area with a negative value, Mount Fuji's extreme maximum temperature was only 17.8 °C (64.0 °F), which was measured on August 13, 1942.

In contrast, Minami-Tori-shima has the highest annual average temperature in Japan. This is a small island in the Pacific Ocean, some 1850 km from Honshu. It has an annual average temperature of 25.8 °C (78.4 °F), exceeding the value recorded by all weather stations including Okinawa Prefecture. And the extreme minimum temperature in the region is 13.8 °C (56.8 °F), which is unique in the whole of Japan, because even in Okinawa Prefecture, the minimum temperature of the year tends to be lower than 10 °C (50 °F).

Climate data for Japan, extremes 1872−present
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 29.7
(85.5)
29.1
(84.4)
30.4
(86.7)
33.7
(92.7)
39.5
(103.1)
39.8
(103.6)
41.1
(106.0)
41.1
(106.0)
40.4
(104.7)
36.0
(96.8)
34.2
(93.6)
31.6
(88.9)
41.1
(106.0)
Record low °C (°F) −41.0
(−41.8)
−38.3
(−36.9)
−35.2
(−31.4)
−27.8
(−18.0)
−18.9
(−2.0)
−13.1
(8.4)
−6.9
(19.6)
−4.3
(24.3)
−10.8
(12.6)
−19.5
(−3.1)
−28.1
(−18.6)
−34.2
(−29.6)
−41.0
(−41.8)
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[1]

Maximum temperatures

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Japan maximum temperature extremes, by month
Month Highest maximum temperatures Lowest maximum temperatures
°C °F Location and date °C °F Location and date
January 29.7 85.5 −32.0 −25.6
February 29.1 84.4 −30.2 −22.4
  • Mount Fuji (17 Feb 1977)
March 30.4 86.7 −30.1 −22.2
  • Mount Fuji (5 Mar 1977)
April 33.7 92.7 −21.2 −6.2
  • Mount Fuji (12 Apr 1996)
May 39.5 103.1 −13.4 7.9
  • Mount Fuji (6 May 1945)
June 40.2 104.4 −6.6 20.1
  • Mount Fuji (2 Jun 1981)
July 41.1 106.0
  • Kumagaya (23 Jul 2018)
−1.2 29.8
  • Mount Fuji (8 Jul 1945)
August 41.1 106.0 0.6 33.1
  • Mount Fuji (25 Aug 1972)
September 40.4 104.7 −6.2 20.8
  • Mount Fuji (24 Sep 1976)
October 36.0 96.8
  • Sanjō, Niigata (6 Oct 2018)
−13.7 7.3
  • Mount Fuji (24 Oct 1947)
November 34.2 93.6
  • Minami-Tori-shima (4 Nov 1953)
−24.8 −12.6
  • Mount Fuji (30 Nov 1970)
December 31.6 88.9
  • Minami-Tori-shima (5 Dec 1952)
−28.7 −19.7
  • Mount Fuji (26 Dec 1995)

Minimum temperatures

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Asahikawa is one of the coldest cities in Japan, pictured here is the Asahibashi Bridge in Asahikawa in winter.
Japan minimum temperature extremes, by month
Month Highest minimum temperatures Lowest minimum temperatures
°C °F Location and date °C °F Location and date
January 26.0 78.8 −41.0 −41.8
February 24.5 76.1 −38.3 −36.9
  • Asahikawa (11 Feb 1902)
March 25.2 77.4 −35.2 −31.4
April 26.9 80.4
  • Ishigaki, Okinawa (30 Apr 2019)
−27.8 −18.0
May 28.7 83.7 −18.9 −2.0
  • Mount Fuji (3 May 1934)
June 29.7 85.5
  • Ishigaki, Okinawa (30 Jun 2015)
−13.1 8.4
  • Mount Fuji (2 Jun 1981)
July 30.3 86.5 −6.9 19.6
  • Mount Fuji (4 Jul 1966)
August 31.3 88.3 −4.3 24.3
  • Mount Fuji (25 Aug 1972)
September 29.8 85.6 −10.8 12.6
  • Mount Fuji (23 Sep 1976)
October 28.6 83.5
  • Minami-Tori-shima (7 Oct 2019)
−19.5 −3.1
  • Mount Fuji (30 Oct 1984)
November 27.6 81.7
  • Minami-Tori-shima (6 Nov 2020)
−28.1 −18.6
  • Mount Fuji (30 Nov 1970)
December 26.3 79.3
  • Minami-Tori-shima (4 Dec 1998)
−34.2 −29.6
  • Obihiro (30 Dec 1907)

References

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  1. ^ 歴代全国ランキング - 各地点における観測史上1位の値を使ってランキングを作成しています。. JMA. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
  2. ^ "Japan swelters in its worst heatwave ever recorded". British Broadcasting Corporation. 29 June 2022. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  3. ^ "Mercury climbs to 40.2 C in Japan, national record for June". Kyodo News. Jun 25, 2022. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
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