A: Hey there! Guess what? It's hotter than usual in Japan, isn't it crazy?!
B: No way, tell me more!

A: Well, temps have been over 30 degrees Celsius already this morning! Toyama City had it the worst with 32.6 degrees. Tottori and Matsumoto weren't far behind at 32.2 degrees each.

B: Wow, that's hot! What's causing all this heat?

A: The Meteorological Agency says it's warm air moving from the south, bypassing a high pressure system and heading towards a stationary front in northeastern Japan. They expect coastal areas along the Sea of Japan to get really hot too.

B: I see, so it'll only get hotter today?

A: Yep! Forecasts show temperatures rising this afternoon. Matsumoto City could hit 35 degrees, Fukushima, Toyama, and Toyooka cities around 34 degrees each, Tottori City at 33 degrees, and central Tokyo at 30 degrees.

B: Wow, I'd better stock up on cold drinks then! Have they given any heatstroke advice?

A: Yeah, they advise using air conditioning, staying hydrated, and consuming enough salt. In the southern parts of Okinawa Prefecture, they've even issued a heatstroke alert for the first time this season.

B: And in Kagoshima, there's another weather-related issue?

A: Right, heavy rain from a seasonal front is increasing the risk of landslides there. So be careful if you're in that area!
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People across much of Japan sweated through a second day of unseasonably hot weather on Wednesday.



Temperatures soared past 30 degrees Celsius in some places on Wednesday morning. The highest temperatures up to 11 a.m. were in Toyama City, where the mercury reached 32.6 degrees, and Tottori City plus Matsumoto City in Nagano Prefecture, with 32.2 degrees.



The Meteorological Agency says the conditions are being caused by warm air in the south that is circumventing a high pressure system as it flows toward a stationary front in northeastern Japan.



They say coastal areas along the Sea of Japan are likely to see hot conditions.



Temperatures are forecast to keep rising on Wednesday afternoon. Expected highs are 35 degrees in Matsumoto City, 34 degrees in Fukushima City, Toyama City and Toyooka City in Hyogo Prefecture, and 33 degrees in Tottori City. The temperature in central Tokyo is forecast to reach 30 degrees.



Authorities issued the country's first heatstroke alert of the season for the Yaeyama region of Okinawa Prefecture, in the far south.



They are advising people to use air conditioning, stay hydrated and consume a sufficient amount of salt.



In parts of Kagoshima Prefecture in the country's southwest, there is a separate weather-related threat: Heavy rain from a seasonal rain front has raised the risk of landslides.