Unstable atmospheric conditions bring heavy rain to central Japan

TOKYO, Aug. 23 (Xinhua) — Japan’s weather agency on Friday said atmospheric conditions are extremely unstable in central Japan’s Tokai region and other areas, adding heavy rain is falling in Shizuoka Prefecture.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said that warm moist air circling the edge of a high pressure system in the Pacific flowed into the skies over Japan, triggering extremely unstable conditions.
Shizuoka City’s Shimizu area recorded 317 millimeters of rain in the 24 hours up to 5 a.m. local time, which exceeded the local average rainfall for August, the JMA said.
Landslide alerts have been issued for some parts of Shizuoka Prefecture.
Weather officials said atmospheric conditions in the Tokai region are likely to remain unstable through Saturday.
Extremely heavy localized rains are also forecast for northern Japan, as a low-pressure system accompanying a front is likely to pass over the region, the JMA added.
Rainfall levels in the 24 hours through Saturday morning could reach up to 150 millimeters in the Tokai region, and 120 millimeters in the regions of Hokkaido and Tohoku. ■