Tokyo's Record Rain Streak Reaches 34 Days
Tokyo has recorded 34 consecutive days of rainfall, the longest such stretch since record-keeping began in 1886, according to Japan's weather agency. The announcement was made on Tuesday by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).
The extended wet period comes amid broader global weather shifts. Climate change, driven by fossil fuel emissions, raises atmospheric moisture levels and makes heavy downpours more probable. This year, the El Niño phenomenon is also influencing weather patterns worldwide by altering winds, air pressure, and cloud formation, which can lead to heavy rain in certain regions and droughts in others.
Tokyo's typical rainy season falls in June, but the capital has seen frequent heavy rain throughout the summer and significant flooding in the surrounding region. The current streak surpasses the previous record of 33 days, set between June 27 and July 29, 2019, according to JMA official Kazuhiro Hirono.
Masayuki Kyoda, another JMA official, attributed the unusual weather map this month partly to El Niño, which brings warmer temperatures in the Pacific Ocean. "Autumn rain fronts are staying longer than usual," Kyoda said, explaining that a high-pressure system over the Pacific is also lingering longer than normal. He noted that while a direct link to climate change cannot be established, a JMA report last year found that global warming is affecting Japan's weather over the long term, including through increased precipitation.
The Mainichi Shimbun newspaper reported that central Tokyo received 629 millimetres (24.8 inches) of rain from September 1 through Monday, nearly three times the normal amount. This approaches the September record of 670.9 millimetres set in 1958.
Meanwhile, recent flooding in Thailand has impacted 1.7 million people after an intense weather system struck the region, with 23 deaths reported since mid-September.
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