Japan logs hottest September on record; 2.66 C higher than average

Fewer typhoons are a positive for Japan which sees landslides and flooding when they occur.

Also, my mango tree is happy with the weather and is doing well

After decades of denying climate change, I've noticed a theme emerging in the rhetoric of the right - embracing climate change. I suppose climate change itself is undeniable, so finding obscure benefits and ignoring the dangers is the closest thing - harm denial.

nothing surprises me anymore about anything weather-related breaking records. New York recently got flooded, and the hottest summer recorded in China as well. I wonder what would be the breaking point for humanity on this. Will we just wake up one day to learn that cities will be too hot to live in or the weather so erratic that the season's we're used to are no longer reliable.

September was hotter than usual. Today the temperature has dropped 10ºC so the heat is probably over. My electricity bill was higher this summer because of the ac.

Japan logged its hottest September since records began in 1898, hitting an all-time monthly high for the third straight month, the weather agency said Monday.

And Japan's power grid held up. There were no black outs and everyone was able to stay cool. Well done Tepco and others.

You don't have to be a scientist to know September was hotter than usual. Unless you buried your head in the fridge.

Not really @ffs. We've all been subsidised. Mine has lower (40% or) every month since April/May than last year despite using the aircon a lot more.

The government electric and gas subsidies were 20% from Feb-September.

Thanks mate for the reminder. Our electrical bill was unseasonably low considering how hot Tokyo was. Now I know why. I hear rural Japan is much cooler so I assume electric costs would be much lower there.

I’m loving these cooler temps finally turned off my ac for the past 6 days but I’m lucky to live close to the ocean because I get a great breeze. Just open my windows and all is good

But then the Tokyo Olympics of 2021 was cooler than usual. Imagine if they had taken place this year.

and they are being extended further @wallace,

I don't see what the subsidy amount is on my bill. But whatever is it, great.

nosuke

The Japanese government was turning down or put a kill switch on my AC as I was blasting them at full throttle and no not a conspiracy based on this JT article

How, exactly, does the J-gov have access to your AC unit? Maybe you should cover it with aluminum foil. Make yourself a hat, while you're at it.

September is almost always hotter than people expect, on Honshu at least. In my experience, the heat and humidity of summer usually don't end until the last week of September.

The 15 measuring stations selected to determine the average surface temperature in Japan are specifically selected to avoid that bias, they are outside of areas affected by heavy urbanization.

This has always angered me; it's as if they're designed to understate the heat endured by the people, who are surrounded by asphalt and concrete and are sweating through temperatures several degrees higher than what is reported. "First snow of the year in Tokyo"? Sure, on some mountaintop where no one lives!

JeffLee

September is almost always hotter than people expect, on Honshu at least. In my experience, the heat and humidity of summer usually don't end until the last week of September.

This has nothing to do with "expectations" or your "experience". It is the actual historical recorded temperature, as reported by the JMA.

The government electric and gas subsidies were 20% from Feb-September.

The government subsidies are listed on the bills.

I set the AC at 27 *C. It keeps the room comfy. And the bills low.

theResident

I envy you . 9860 Yen! Mine was 47,000 Yen and I thought I got away lightly!

That's insane. How big is your house? How many AC units do you have? Are they very old?

We have 5 AC at our primary residence, with the LDK unit running all day, and the MBR unit all night. Of the other 3, 1 or 2 of them often run for hours each day. Yet, our elec bills for July and Aug were Y13,000 and Y15,000, respectively.

Obviously, the gov't subsidy helped keep it lower than it would have been. But, you should also have similar price reductions. Do you have multiple refrigerators or elec water heaters or something?

Still human created climate change has not been proven beyond a reasonable doubt

Yes it has, you will not find any respected instution of science in a related field in the whole world saying this is still something to be proved.

and still no proof humans can lower the global temperature, reduce natural disasters, and control the weather/climate. 

Since climate change has been proved originated from human activity it is then of course also proved humans can change it, decreasing or reversing the input that humans have on climate obviously would have the opposite effect.

Yes, there are trends, but there has been many trends historically

Not on the degree observed right now, why else would the scientific community of the world (whose professional job is to analyze those trends) reach the conclusion that climage change is real and produced by human activity? obviously you can't just argue everybody is wrong.

The earth has been much hotter and higher CO2 concentration in the past, yet there wasn't humans burning fossil fuels.

That is not a rational argument, the relationship has been proved, so pretending other mechanisms (already discarded for the current situation) are responsible is not a valid argument.

One of the many predictions from the climate alarmists is the increase in frequency and severity of tropical storms

Sorry, I haven't read all posts in case someone has already replied to this. But from what I've read, the IPCC has never predicted an increase in the number of tropical storms. They have said the number of tropical storms will decrease or stay the same, but the severity of some will increase.

Hottest days and months are breaking records. This alone should tell the thinkers that something is going on. "It was cool where I live" is a weather report. Climate is different. It's hotter than normal and lasting longer. Corn, which should be around 8' - 9' tall where I live is less than 5' tall and it's harvest time. The heat is here. Give up on the El Nino effect as the cause of it all. Predictions made by scientists (floods, hurricanes and shorter winters -- along with record heat is happening.

Exactly, it better fit the agenda. Deliberately misleading it is.

Your comment is the one misleading, a term that encompasses more than just the changes in temperature is the opposite of that, is clearly and more precise of what is actually important, it is also much less difficult to be misrepresented by antiscientific propaganda, which is why those groups hate it so much.

This is the typical disingenuous strategy

Nothing disingenuous about simply recognizing the meaning the term has in the common knowledge, people do understand one thing immediately when hearing "computer" so arguing how it is wrong to do that if it also means a person doing calculations is what is irrational and an obvious attempt to mislead people.

so that anyone who doesnt agree with the agenda is then referred to as a "Climate change denier",

No, anybody that rejects valid scientific conclusions that are shared by the scientific community of the world without any basis on actual evidence is who is referred as denier.

the idea being that the climate is obviously changing therefore this person is insane to claim otherwise

Again no, because rational people can easily understand that the term is used in the meaning of the current crisis, not the general description of the phenomenon. The term is very specific except for those that try to grasp at straws to avoid recognizing the scientific consensus about it.

Exactly. Understanding how the data is obtained is critical to forming the right conclusions. Hey, my apartment has been the hottest on record... after I moved the thermometer to my kitchen, right next to my stove....

Exactly wrong, the point has been debunked in previous comments.

Swing and a miss. The 15 measuring stations selected to determine the average surface temperature in Japan are specifically selected to avoid that bias, they are outside of areas affected by heavy urbanization.

Timing just precise just by the time energy price hitting the highest in the past few years in Japan.

It is called supply and demand. Since the weather is hot there is a greater demand for power. And if you have not heard there is war in Europe which is driving the price of energy higher.

Ah_so

After decades of denying climate change, I've noticed a theme emerging in the rhetoric of the right - embracing climate change. I suppose climate change itself is undeniable, so finding obscure benefits and ignoring the dangers is the closest thing - harm denial.

They also don't want to admit, despite overwhelming evidence, that it is mainly due to human causes. It's just part of the nature or, even more ridiculous, God's will.

after decades and realising that “Global warming” didn’t fit with observed data, the eco loons (mostly left) decided to opt for “climate change”.

Misleading, the term better reflect the changes observed and makes it less likely for people with antiscientific bias to pretend it is false.

Literally noone denys that the climate, changes and is changing. This is why the insidious term “climate change deniers” is just plain wrong (designed to conflate with holocaust deniers).

In the context of the current crisis "climate change" has an specific meaning and refer to the accelerated changes demonstrated to be product of human activity, "climate change deniers" is obviously not about people thinking climate has never changed but those that refute the scientific findings that prove the current crisis.

These natural events are par for the course

What is not "par for the course" is the effect of climate change, which is why this was the hottest September on record.

You don't have to be a scientist to know September was hotter than usual. Unless you buried your head in the fridge

Or buried your head in the alternative media.

theResident

and they are being extended further @wallace,

I have heard no news on that but great

I don't see what the subsidy amount is on my bill. But whatever is it, great.

The last bill from Kansai Electric

total ¥9,860 for 445kWh

basic charge 433

electric 1    2,132

electric 2    4,627

electric 3    4,161

minus sub   -2,118

The total without the subsidies would have been ¥11,353.

The same for the gas bill which is LPG.

I stopped working for the whole of the month.

theResident

@Wallace- I'm paperless with Tokyo Gas (who also supply my electric)- so all one bill. I only request the Direct Debit Amount. I don't need the details unless it seems 'wrong' - which in after the shock in January I thought it was - but all my colleagues had silly bills too.

So you can't check your bills online?

I envy you . 9860 Yen! Mine was 47,000 Yen and I thought I got away lightly!

I am guessing that is both electric and gas but that is very high. We live in a 6LDK house. The electricity is about ¥10,000 and the gas about ¥6,000.

theResident

@wallace: No idea - never even tried. Little slip in the letterbox around the 26th of the month and money leaves my account on the 5th or 6th. Yes, combined leccy and gas.

The number of kWh on the slip times about ¥29 is the cost of the electricity. The rest is the gas.

Fewer typhoons aren’t a benefit?

Not if the replacement is drought. Droughts mean no food. Typhoons destroy fewer crops.

When change is unpredictable, we can't prepare for it. In fact, we may not be able to prepare anyway. This is generally bad. There may be silver linings in the dark cloud, but that won't mean much if lightning from the dark cloud kills you.

firstly I do not think the "climate change" topic is decades old

You would be wrong

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_climate_change_science

Though the two terms are sometimes used interchangeably,[97] scientifically, global warming refers only to increased surface warming, while climate change describes the totality of changes to Earth's climate system.[96] Global warming—used as early as 1975[98]—became the more popular term after NASA climate scientist James Hansen used it in his 1988 testimony in the U.S. Senate.[99] Since the 2000s, climate change has increased in usage.

Even if you exclusively refer to the term climate change (instead of the whole discussion) that is still something being discussed from decades back.

although I do remember that in the 70s there was much talk about global cooling and the coming ice age, on which apparently there was "scientific consensus

You misremember, even at the time scientists were clearly saying the trends in the changes pointed to the opposite of cooling,

https://journals.ametsoc.org/view/journals/bams/89/9/2008bams2370_1.xml

An enduring popular myth suggests that in the 1970s the climate science community was predicting “global cooling” and an “imminent” ice age, an observation frequently used by those who would undermine what climate scientists say today about the prospect of global warming. A review of the literature suggests that, on the contrary, greenhouse warming even then dominated scientists' thinking as being one of the most important forces shaping Earth's climate on human time scales

It is not so hard to be informed about the topics, specially if you want to have an opinion about them.

Secondly I have NEVER heard any body "deny climate" or "deny climate change", as the issue always was what changes the climate and if it is possible to control such change

Pretending "climate change" is not the common term used for the current crisis makes your argument completely irrelevant. to "deny climate change" is obviously referring to the people that irrationally pretend the human activity derived current changes in climate are not real, not related to humans or not important.

Thirdly, in what world is this a "left" vs "right" issue?

Do you deny then that political preferences are correlated to the acceptance or denial of scientific facts in this topic?

It was exhausting. I work at home and if I turned off the AC my room quickly climbed to 30 degrees.

The measuring stations are located in the "heat island" zones

I'm probably just as much a sceptic about climate change as you are, but I've lived in rural Saitama for over a decade and I can tell you this September was the effin hottest I've experienced so far. I've never had to use the A/C at night this late into the year before and I hate using A/C. More of an open window fresh air guy.

@wallace - Not really fussed tbh. Got to live and not much I can do about it.

virusrex

You misremember, even at the time scientists were clearly saying the trends in the changes pointed to the opposite of cooling,

https://journals.ametsoc.org/view/journals/bams/89/9/2008bams2370_1.xml

Really? Check here for example:

https://longreads.com/2017/04/13/in-1975-newsweek-predicted-a-new-ice-age-were-still-living-with-the-consequences/

And that was not an isolated article. I clearly remember how global cooling was all over the media, and my parents bought warm clothes and even installed a wood-burning stove in the house, just in case...

Re-writing history a la 1984 a bit?

CrashTestDummy

Still human created climate change has not been proven beyond a reasonable doubt

Indeed. Of course human activity has an influence (as does an unlimited number of other factors), but the claim that it is the only influence is phantasy.

and still no proof humans can lower the global temperature, reduce natural disasters, and control the weather/climate. 

...and even if you accept the claim that humans can control the climate like a thermostate via the carbon emissions, there is still no line from here to there, as it is irrelevant if a few Western governments limit their emission, because the vast majority of mankind is not in on this scheme. For example, in 2020 China put into production more coal burning power plants than the entire European plants in existence. Even if the US and Europe magically disappeared from the planet, that would still not freeze or stop human carbon emissions. So the rethoric simply does not match reality.

@wallace: No idea - never even tried. Little slip in the letterbox around the 26th of the month and money leaves my account on the 5th or 6th. Yes, combined leccy and gas.

There's more than enough evidence to persuade the climate deniers, no?

For people that take pride in disregarding the evidence and the scientific consensus there will never be enough evidence, their position is illogical from the beginning, so no amount of logic can change it.

garypen: "How, exactly, does the J-gov have access to your AC unit? Maybe you should cover it with aluminum foil. Make yourself a hat, while you're at it."

Yeah, it is a bit of paranoia. I mean, if it's hooked up to Alexa, that trollop, maybe. If not connected at all, makes no sense.

Even the Weather Agency is not saying this year’s summer heat is climate change.

Quote from article above: "We can't believe just how high temperatures got," a representative from the agency said. "It became a record-breaking phenomenon after multiple factors overlapped on top of climate change."

Good to hear that other than this year it hasn't been as hot.

What is good about changes in the climate trending towards hotter and hotter? The problem is that this is predicted to continue and become worse.

Misleading, the term better reflect the changes observed and makes it less likely for people with antiscientific bias to pretend it is false.

Exactly, it better fit the agenda. Deliberately misleading it is.

In the context of the current crisis "climate change" has an specific meaning and refer to the accelerated changes demonstrated to be product of human activity

This is the typical disingenuous strategy - conflate, ambiguity, mislead. "Man-made Climate Change, MM Climate Change" is rather easy to use, yet it defaults to just "climate change" so that anyone who doesnt agree with the agenda is then referred to as a "Climate change denier", the idea being that the climate is obviously changing therefore this person is insane to claim otherwise. This term is deliberately non-specific and to pretend otherwise is also disingenuous .

I loved the hot weather in September. Hope it runs through to Christmas and I can tan my palms on the beach in Okinawa over the New Year holiday.

Swing and a miss. The 15 measuring stations selected to determine the average surface temperature in Japan are specifically selected to avoid that bias, they are outside of areas affected by heavy urbanization.

The above is about the sea but on land, the basic principle is to measure temperature in the shade. On a sunny day, non-shady places will be hotter, whether urbanized or not. If its in the sun, 5m from the measuring stick will be hotter than the measuring stick.

A decent chunk of Japan, the north and the mountains anywhere, are heating, not cooling climates. So you actually want your house to be in a sunny place. Three-four months of free heat in winter is more important than a bit of extra heat in summer. Sun is also good for keeping your place mold free.

B-b-b-b-b-but summer ended August 31st! Why won't the environment cooperate??

My friend's daughter suffered heatstroke TWICE in September, including a sports day when they had to "perform" in 34°C weather and the blazing sun. The other time we are convinced is because they school has made kids switch to their winter wear already because, "Summer is over!". I have been encouraging him to sue the school, but he says it was really hard to get his daughter into it and they probably wouldn't win. He ended the conversation with, "We are just thankful she is still alive and relatively unhurt."

Can't break the rules when the weather won't suit your own definitions, I guess.

Good to hear that other than this year it hasn't been as hot.

The scientific consensus is relevant regardless of your personal opinion

You have provide no argument to prove this claim.

How is the consensus about previous CO2 levels relevant to the importance and urgency of the current situation from the human activity derived climate change?

Without that argument your claim is still irrelevant.

Ah_so

After decades of denying climate change, I've noticed a theme emerging in the rhetoric of the right - embracing climate change. I suppose climate change itself is undeniable, so finding obscure benefits and ignoring the dangers is the closest thing - harm denial.

That is a strange claim on so many levels.... firstly I do not think the "climate change" topic is decades old (although I do remember that in the 70s there was much talk about global cooling and the coming ice age, on which apparently there was "scientific consensus"). Secondly I have NEVER heard any body "deny climate" or "deny climate change", as the issue always was what changes the climate and if it is possible to control such change. Thirdly, in what world is this a "left" vs "right" issue? This is about believing in an ideology or evaluating facts.

due to the effects of a high-pressure system in the Pacific

See? This has a scientific explanation. No Need to worry! (The cause of the high-pressure systems? Well...)

Climate change is happening fast. True.

What is also true is the dire nature of urbanization at an unkown pace : green disappearing from everywhere step by step, airconditioning spreading like a virus, etc.

Many many human actions reducing the comfort of living in a so obvious manner (rise of radiative heat, rise of heat accumulation, rise of air heat...).

In the meantime, global demography is doing good with about 200,000 inhabitants per day in addition to Earth.

If impact of climate change would be negative, why so little change in demography and in behaviours ?

Fact is impact is not meaningful.

What are the true risks of climate change ?

I see hardly none, with a few degrees higher and change of season patterns Locally.

It will change local biotopes for sure, change human activities possible in the long run. But it is evolution. Food is not disappearing, heat is hardly killing anyone (estimate : 1 more death per million per year - https://www.epa.gov/climate-indicators/climate-change-indicators-heat-related-deaths)

I still wonder what mankind is not able to face and wonder why people shout but are favouring/accompanying at the same time that climate change trend in cities by using aircon, living in flats, have concrete on ground everywhere possible, leaving on all day lighting and all possible electronic equipment...

Climate change cannot be stopped. Carbon related taxes to developed countries are not doing anything to China, India, Indonesia, etc that are polluting at an amazing rate and nearly everyone is happy about it in those countries.

Maldives and a few countries will see dramatic upheavals. Did you expect no change at the same time ?

What about all positive effects ?

Refining the climate change forecast is a must. Trying to limit its impact when possible too. Taxing is not a requisite.

All starts with everyday common sense that our elders were applying to nature around them by respecting it.

September electricity was under ¥5000. Water is very low and gas is low. 3 LDK. Used Air 4 times this past summer. My place is quite breezy with no mosquitoes, and fully paid for with a nice giant balcony to BBQ.

Yes, the the scientific consensus supports this,

Which is completely irrelevant. 

The scientific consensus is relevant regardless of your personal opinion.

After decades of denying climate change, I've noticed a theme emerging in the rhetoric of the right -

after decades and realising that “Global warming” didn’t fit with observed data, the eco loons (mostly left) decided to opt for “climate change”.

Literally noone denys that the climate, changes and is changing. This is why the insidious term “climate change deniers” is just plain wrong (designed to conflate with holocaust deniers).

We should, take care not to pollute or destroy eco systems - but all of these “carbon credit” schemes and SDGs are a sham, and anyone touting them is either a useful tool or nefarious in intent

Ah_so

After decades of denying climate change, I've noticed a theme emerging in the rhetoric of the right - embracing climate change. I suppose climate change itself is undeniable, so finding obscure benefits and ignoring the dangers is the closest thing - harm denial.

Still human created climate change has not been proven beyond a reasonable doubt and still no proof humans can lower the global temperature, reduce natural disasters, and control the weather/climate. Yes, there are trends, but there has been many trends historically. The earth has been much hotter and higher CO2 concentration in the past, yet there wasn't humans burning fossil fuels.

There's more than enough evidence to persuade the climate deniers, no?

The measuring stations are located in the "heat island" zones, the concrete jungles where the surge in high-rises and asphalt along with the decrease in green zones combine. This clearly skews the data.

Exactly. Understanding how the data is obtained is critical to forming the right conclusions. Hey, my apartment has been the hottest on record... after I moved the thermometer to my kitchen, right next to my stove....

My electric bill for the summer was less than last year even though I had the a/c on 24/7.

The earth has been much hotter and higher CO2 concentration in the past, yet there wasn't humans burning fossil fuels.

Yes, the the scientific consensus supports this,

@Wallace- I'm paperless with Tokyo Gas (who also supply my electric)- so all one bill. I only request the Direct Debit Amount. I don't need the details unless it seems 'wrong' - which in after the shock in January I thought it was - but all my colleagues had silly bills too.

I envy you . 9860 Yen! Mine was 47,000 Yen and I thought I got away lightly!

The Japanese government was turning down or put a kill switch on my AC as I was blasting them at full throttle and no not a conspiracy based on this JT article https://japantoday.com/category/national/Japanese-gov't-seeking-power-to-turn-down-private-home-air-conditioners-remotely-report-says

Stay Tuned as many scientists have warned us long ago, and yet auto manufacturers like Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Suzuki, Mazda and other industries are still pushing CO2 filthy combustion engines down our throats to feed their greedy stockholders.

Until we start fighting back by refusing to purchase these filthy machines and demand clean EV and other tech machines, these companies will continue to POISON our air and food supply chain.

El Nino

Well, it has been very hot this summer hasn’t it. Still rather hot now 26C today and 27C forecast for tomorrow here in Osaka. It was quite relentless this year, hardly any respite for plus 30C and at night it didn’t go below 25C

Last week I went it Hokkaido, it was much cooler tup there you were but still hotter than usual. The weather has been very odd this year, I’m not a fan of the hot weather you see.

Had AC on almost all the time in August, but my electricity bill was lower than last years, very strange.

theResident

Well, I see. Very nice to see it so low, thought it would be a biggun this time.

As for the sea surface temp, it's an El Niño year. That's also a driving force in the WEATHER pattern.

These natural events are par for the course.

Fewer typhoons are a positive for Japan which sees landslides and flooding when they occur.

Also, my mango tree is happy with the weather and is doing well

The measuring stations are located in the "heat island" zones, the concrete jungles where the surge in high-rises and asphalt along with the decrease in green zones combine. This clearly skews the data.

As for the sea surface temp, it's an El Niño year. That's also a driving force in the WEATHER pattern.

One of the many predictions from the climate alarmists is the increase in frequency and severity of tropical storms, which is not reflected in reality(even clearly stated in this piece) .

Merely moving the goalposts to manipulate the results.

Timing just precise just by the time energy price hitting the highest in the past few years in Japan.

https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14657717

The Sea of Japan's surface temperature was 1.6 C above average for the month, the hottest since records began in 1982. There were just two typhoons in September, a record-tying low, which meant cold, deep ocean water did not mix with the warmer surface water, the agency said.

Fewer typhoons aren’t a benefit?