Tokyo Past and Future

Present Day Tokyo, Japan

http://cuabroad.cua.edu/programs/japan/tokyoIES.cfm

This blog has demonstrated Tokyo, Japan's current weather conditions and climate patterns.  There are many reasons why Tokyo's climate is the way it is (location and geographical factors).  It is interesting to wonder what Tokyo's climate was 100 million years ago and what Tokyo's weather will be like 100 million years in the future.  Obviously both will be very different from where they are today because Tokyo's location on Earth has and will change throughout the years.  

Current Tokyo, Japan Climate Graph

http://www.climatetemp.info/japan/

100 million years ago, the islands of Japan were still part of the large as Asian continent that is known as China today.  It was at this time that the subduction of the Pacific plate started.  It wasn't until 15 million years ago when land masses that make up the islands of Japan finally broke away from the Asian continent and the Sea of Japan was formed. Obviously, Japan was continental compared to the maritime location it is today. I predict that the weather was very rainy with lower temperatures than they are today.  Today, Japan still continues to move eastward away from the large Asian landmass. 

Past Tokyo, Japan Climate Graph

100 million years in the future, I predict that Tokyo will continue to drift eastward on the same latitude line but shift over about 20 degrees longitude.  Because Japan will be further isolated from other land masses, there will be a significant amount of rainfall and higher temperatures year round then they are today. Japan will over all be affected by the maritime air masses compared to the continental air masses in the past. I also predict that Japan will continue to be affected severely by typhoons and earthquakes.  

Comparison of Svalbard, Norway Weather to Tokyo

Tokyo is located 5,260.6 miles away from Svalbard, Norway.  Svalbard is a Norwegian archipelago consisting of nine main islands in the Arctic Ocean (ranging from latitude 74°- 81° North, and longitude 10°- 35° East). Compared to Tokyo Japan located at 35° 41' 6 N and 139° 45' 5 E.  Svalbard and Tokyo differ greatly in weather and climate. 


Svalbard's climate is dominated by high altitude where average temperatures in the summer only get up to 43° F and winter temperatures are around 10° F. 

http://www.climatetemp.info/norway/isfjord-radio-svalbard.html

http://www.climatetemp.info/japan/tokyo.html

The North Atlantic waters help to moderate Svalbard's climate, particularly in the winter, giving it relatively high temperatures compared to other cities at similar latitudes.  These temperatures and warm water keep the surrounding water open and navigable for most of the year. There are mountainous areas with valleys in Svalbard allowing for warmer summer weather and colder winter weather.  Cold air from the north and wet sea air from the south create low pressure with changing weather and fast winds. 

Because Tokyo is located on an island while Svalbard is more inland and at a higher latitude, they have very different weather patterns.  Tokyo receives quite a bit of precipitation annually, while Svalbard receives snowfall frequently but in small quantities. Fog is very common in Svalbard while Tokyo will only receive fog every so often.  

Svalbard in the Winter

http://www.globalphotographic.net/Arctic.htm

Tokyo in the Winter

m.joseparla.com

Svalbard in the Summer

http://www.ieaghg.org/index.php?/20100113166/international-interdisciplinary-ccs-summer-school-2010.html

Tokyo in the Summer

http://karen-freshstrawberries.blogspot.com/2008/08/late-summer-greetings-from-very-muggy.html

Climatology of Tokyo

Tokyo lies in the humid subtropical zone or can be classified by the Koppen-Geiger scheme as Cfa.  This means Tokyo has generally, hot humid summers and mild winters with cool spells.    

Some meso-scale climate controls that affect Tokyo are location and a major ocean current.  Because Japan is an island it's climate is deeply affected by its location on the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan.  The tropical weather from these bodies of water bring substantial amounts of rain into Tokyo.  Generally, the marked rainy season is early June, lasting about a month.  On average, five or six typhoons pass through Tokyo from early August to early September.  In the winter, a high pressure area develops over Siberia and a low pressure area can develop in the Pacific Ocean bring cold fronts into Tokyo resulting in lower, colder temperatures. Snowfall is sporadic, but does occur almost annually.  

The major ocean current that affects Tokyo is the Kuroshio current, also know has Black Current, which is also known as Japan current.  This warm water current flows northward on the Pacific side of Japan which warms Tokyo and surrounding areas of Japan.  

A micro-scale climate control of Tokyo is the urban heat island effect. According to the Tokyo Metropolitian Government,  the annual mean temperature has increased about 5.4 degrees F over the past 100 years.  The city has been cited as a "convincing example of the relationship between urban growth and climate." This can be attributed to Japan's fast growth rates in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  Today, Japan is home to roughly 127 million people.  

This image shows the Kuroshino ocean current that affects Tokyo's climate.

blog.geogarage.com

This is a climate graph of Tokyo for the averages throughout the year. 

http://www.climatetemp.info/japan/tokyo.html

This is a weather graph of my weather station in November 2003.

This is a weather graph of my weather station in November 2011. 

When comparing November 2003 to November 2011 low temperatures, it appears the the lower temperatures are higher than they were eight years ago.  There is also less daily rainfall annually than in 2003, this could also be a very dry year for Tokyo and doesn't summarize the total changes in Tokyo's weather patterns.  

Comparison of Tokyo Weather to Tehran, Iran Weather

Tokyo is located 4,760 miles away from Tehran and both cities are located relatively on the same latitude coordinate (35° N).  Tokyo is located at 35° 41' 6 N and 139° 45' 5 E while Tehran is located at 35°41' N latitude and 51°26' E longitude.  Although they have close in latitude coordinates,  both cities weather and climate differ greatly.  

View Larger Map

shows the same coordinate plane that Tokyo (A) and Tehran (B) lie on 

Tehran is considered to have a semi-arid, continental climate, while Tokyo has a humid, subtropical climate. 

http://www.climate-charts.com/Locations/i/IR40754.php

http://www.climate-charts.com/Locations/j/JP47662.php

Tehran's geographic location largely defines the city's climate.  North of the city is the Alborz Mountains and to the south is desert.  Summers are incredibly hot and dry, receiving only about 9 inches of rain annually; compared to Tokyo where summers are very wet, receiving 60 inches of rain annually.  Fall, Winter and Spring bring about moderate temperatures but there is the occasional weather conditions that can be harsh.  

Because Tehran is inland and Tokyo is located on an island, a major difference between the two cities is that Tokyo receives typhoons annually and Tehran does not.  Tehran and Tokyo are similar in a sense that January is both the coldest month and the warmest months are either July or August.  But the actual temperature differences can range from 20 or 30 degrees.  

Tehran in the Winter

m.joseparla.com

Tokyo in the Winter

http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Middle_East/Iran/East/Tehran/Tehran/photo223485.htm

Tehran in the Summer

http://karen-freshstrawberries.blogspot.com/2008/08/late-summer-greetings-from-very-muggy.html

Tokyo in the Summer

Tokyo Air Masses

As mentioned before, Tokyo lies in the humid subtropical climate zone. Because Japan is an island in the in the Pacific Ocean, it has some interesting weather patterns. In the summer, Tokyo is influenced by the maritime tropical air mass that are generated over warm coastal waters on the east coast.  In the fall, winter and spring maritime tropical and continental polar air masses interact which creates frequent midlatitude cyclones with cold and occluded frontal activity.  

source: csulb.edu
Air Mass Map

These air masses allow for Tokyo to get an average of 40-80 inches of precipitation a year.  The summer months get more precipitation than the winter months because of the effects of the Asian monsoon.  

source: Wikimedia Commons
Topographic Map of Japan

Tokyo is located in the central part of the archipelago (chain of islands) of Japan.  There are several mountains surrounding Tokyo including; Mount Mitake, Mount Kumotori, Mount Mihara, and Mount Takao.  There are two rivers that run through Tokyo, the Tama river and  Samuda river. Tokyo's topography allows for high levels of precipitation because of the very mountainous terrain.  



source:  www.jma.go.jp/en/g3/
Tokyo Weather Map


This is a current weather map of Tokyo for 6pm on November 1st.  It shows developing lows coming in from the southeast towards Tokyo, which means clouds will roll in over the city.  Since Japan is an island and in the middle of major oceanic currents,  a dense fog could settle over Tokyo.  

Tokyo Location and Weather Summary

Tokyo is the capital of Japan and is located at 35° 41' 6 N and 139° 45' 5 E.  Tokyo is located northwest of Tokyo Bay which lies in the humid subtropical climate zone, meaning hot humid summers and mild winters with the occasional cool spells. The warmest month in Tokyo is August with an average temperature of 81.5°F while the coldest month is January with an average temperature of 42.8°F.  Because Tokyo has wetter summers and drier winters,he average annual rainfall is 60.2 inches.  


Although Tokyo is the largest city in Japan, it has an interesting location.  Tokyo is divided into 3 main parts which includes 23 main wards, the Tama Area (the mainland of Tokyo) and islands. Most of this blog will be focusing on the mainland area of Tokyo to decrease confusion. The city is bordered by the Tamagawa River and the Kanagawa Prefecture in the south and the Edogawa River and Chiba Prefecture in the east.  There are many mountains that lie to the west of Tokyo that include Mount Kumotori, Mount Takao, Mount Mitake, and Mount Mihara. As mentioned above, the mainland part of Tokyo (the Tama Area) is bordered by the Tokyo Bay. As one can see, Tokya has a very interesting location for being the captial of Japan.  

Map of Tokyo

Bridge from mainland of Tokyo to Tsukishima (island of Tokyo)

Main part of City in Tokyo

Pictures cited (in order of apperance)

cuabroad.cua.edu

wallpaperseek.com

trialx.com