Why 14 inches of rain fell in Japan in just one day
This extreme rain was deadly, with at least eight people killed and many others stranded
In Japan's Chiba Prefecture, near Tokyo, a record-breaking 14.4 inches of rain fell in a single day, causing catastrophic damage and loss of life. At least eight people were killed, and the region experienced widespread power outages and travel disruptions. This extreme weather event is the highest rainfall reading for the area since at least 1976.
The Japanese Meteorological Agency (JMA) reported that 348 millimeters of rain fell within just 12 hours, which is about three times the typical monthly rainfall for August in the region. Many travelers were stranded at Tokyo's Narita International Airport, and tens of thousands of homes lost power across the area, according to the Japanese public broadcaster NHK.
The source of the excessive rain was humid air from the southern part of the country meeting a cold air mass 6,000 meters above Honshu, making the atmosphere "unstable." This instability allows for extreme rainfall events, which can have long-lasting health consequences, such as exacerbating chronic disease, respiratory illnesses, and mental health issues.
Climate change is exacerbating these events, as warmer air temperatures cause the atmosphere to hold more moisture, leading to more rain and flooding. Experts warn that these intense and frequent extreme rainfall events will become more common due to climate change.
Written by urgent.news from Scientific American's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
