Japan has recorded its warmest fall since records began 126 years ago, the weather agency said, delaying the country’s popular displays of seasonal foliage into December.
“This year was 1.97 degrees Celsius higher than usual … making it the hottest autumn since 1898, when statistics began,” the Japan Meteorological Agency said Monday on its website.
Between September and November, the temperature was 2.4 C higher than usual in Tokyo, 2.9 C hotter in the city of Nagoya, and 1.2 C warmer in Sapporo.
The weather has delayed the country’s autumn foliage season — when tourists flock to see leaves turn vibrant reds and yellows.
In Kyoto, a railway company known for running trains through forests of illuminated maple trees at night has extended its schedule because leaf colors are not changing as quickly as usual.
According to the Japan Meteorological Corporation, the best time to see the autumn leaves in Tokyo will be around Thursday and in Osaka on Monday, both later than usual.
Japan recorded its joint-hottest summer on record this year as extreme heatwaves, which scientists say are fueled by climate change, engulfed many parts of the world.
The famous snowcap of Mount Fuji was absent for the longest recorded period this year, not appearing until early November, compared with the average of early October.