Weather tracker: More extreme rain in Japan and a tornado in France
Japan is experiencing extreme rainfall and flooding in Ishikawa and Toyama prefectures following a record-breaking deluge in Chiba. Meteorologists suggest that the current El Niño cycle is altering weather patterns, allowing more tropical storms to impact the region.
Why it matters
Understanding the link between El Niño and extreme weather events is critical for disaster preparedness and climate adaptation strategies in vulnerable coastal nations.
A lightning strike in Japan. This week’s storms followed a record deluge in Chiba in mid-August. A lightning strike in Japan. This week’s storms followed a record deluge in Chiba in mid-August. Weather tracker Japan Analysis Weather tracker: More extreme rain in Japan and a tornado in France Brendan Wood and Faye Hulton for MetDesk Flash flooding and mudslides in Ishikawa and Toyama prefectures, while convective storms hit western Europe
After an “unprecedented” deluge in Chiba in mid-August, Japan has experienced further extreme rainfall in recent days. Moisture from the Sea of Japan brought relentless heavy rain to the prefectures of Ishikawa and Toyama on Thursday.
In Himi, Toyama, 361.5mm of rain fell in 24 hours, equivalent to half the average annual rainfall in London and Paris. Several rivers burst their banks, triggering flash floods and mudslides, felling and damaging buildings.
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