Japanese archipelago will see a longer rainy season and a cooler summer this year, the Meteorological Agency said June 19.
According to the agency's three-month weather forecast for July to September, average temperatures in eastern and western Japan are expected to be lower than usual, while northern and southern Japan will see usual summer temperatures. Rain precipitation will be higher than usual in eastern and western Japan but will stay at usual rates for the rest of the archipelago.
Agency officials said the annual El Nino phenomenon may have started in the Pacific area around the equator. It is expected to prolong the rainy season and bring lower temperatures this summer.