Heat wave in Japan and 4 other countries, 30 November to 7 December 2018

Name: Heat wave in Japan and 4 other countries, 30 November to 7 December 2018
Start: 2018-11-30
End: 2018-12-07
Location: Japan, Russia, China, Korea, South, Mongolia

Heat wave in Japan and 4 other countries, 30 November to 7 December 2018: 348 records at 177 stations, peak on 4 December 2018. Closed.

Data as of 2026-10-12. Last revised 12 October 2026 (2026-10-12).

Key Facts

Heat wave in Japan and 4 other countries, 30 November to 7 December 2018 set or tied 348 station records at 177 stations.
It ran from 30 November 2018 to 7 December 2018 (8 days) and its peak day was 4 December 2018.
Status: closed.
Tokushima set a monthly record high maximum temperature of 26.7 C (80.1 F) on 4 December 2018.
The busiest day was 4 December 2018 with 151 records.
The oldest broken record in the ranked list had stood for 72 years.

Footprint

30 November to 7 December 2018

The area covered by Heat wave in Japan and 4 other countries, 30 November to 7 December 2018 is outlined, with 20 of the stations that set records marked, coloured by record type. Made with Natural Earth.

Footprint of Heat wave in Japan and 4 other countries, 30 November to 7 December 2018: stations that set records in the event
Station	Type	Value	Date
Tokushima	Record high maximum temperature	26.7 C (80.1 F)	2018-12-04
Wakayama	Record high maximum temperature	25.2 C (77.4 F)	2018-12-04
Fukuoka	Record high maximum temperature	26.0 C (78.8 F)	2018-12-04
Shimonoseki	Record high maximum temperature	26.2 C (79.2 F)	2018-12-04
Nara	Record high maximum temperature	24.9 C (76.8 F)	2018-12-04
Iizuka	Record high maximum temperature	25.3 C (77.5 F)	2018-12-04
Toyama	Record high maximum temperature	24.8 C (76.6 F)	2018-12-04
Nagano	Record high minimum temperature	9.5 C (49.1 F)	2018-12-04
Osaka	Record high maximum temperature	24.5 C (76.1 F)	2018-12-04
Hirado	Record high maximum temperature	23.1 C (73.6 F)	2018-12-04
Ueno	Record high maximum temperature	22.1 C (71.8 F)	2018-12-04
Hamada	Record high maximum temperature	25.8 C (78.4 F)	2018-12-04
Tsu	Record high minimum temperature	13.6 C (56.5 F)	2018-12-04
Yonago	Record high maximum temperature	23.5 C (74.3 F)	2018-12-04
Kobe	Record high maximum temperature	22.6 C (72.7 F)	2018-12-04
Matsuyama	Record high maximum temperature	25.2 C (77.4 F)	2018-12-04
Naze	Record high maximum temperature	28.6 C (83.5 F)	2018-12-04
Sunwu	Record high maximum temperature	4.9 C (40.8 F)	2018-12-02
Miyako	Record high maximum temperature	22.8 C (73.0 F)	2018-12-04
Kochi	Record high minimum temperature	15.6 C (60.1 F)	2018-12-04

Records per Day

Peak day 151

Records set or tied each day from 30 November 2018 to 7 December 2018. The most in one day was 151 on 4 December 2018.

Top Records by Margin

Margin over the record replaced

Top records of Heat wave in Japan and 4 other countries, 30 November to 7 December 2018 ranked by margin
Shimonoseki, 12-04	5.9 C (10.6 F)
Nagano, 12-04	5.3 C (9.5 F)
Tokushima, 12-04	4.5 C (8.1 F)
Tsu, 12-04	4.0 C (7.2 F)
Fukuoka, 12-04	3.9 C (7.0 F)
Wakayama, 12-04	3.3 C (5.9 F)
Nara, 12-04	3.2 C (5.8 F)
Iizuka, 12-04	3.2 C (5.8 F)
Toyama, 12-04	3.2 C (5.8 F)
Matsuyama, 12-04	2.9 C (5.2 F)
Osaka, 12-04	2.8 C (5.0 F)
Hamada, 12-04	2.5 C (4.5 F)
Sunwu, 12-02	2.3 C (4.1 F)
Hirado, 12-04	2.1 C (3.8 F)
Ueno, 12-04	1.9 C (3.4 F)

Margin is how far the new value is beyond the record it replaced. Ties are not shown.

Margin Against Age of the Broken Record

348 records plotted by how far they beat the old record (across) and how many years the old record had stood (up). Long standing records beaten by a wide margin sit in the top right.

Margin against age of the broken record in Heat wave in Japan and 4 other countries, 30 November to 7 December 2018
Margin (C)	Years the old record stood
4.5	66
3.3	66
3.9	65
5.9	30
3.2	59
3.2	65
3.2	65
5.3	59
2.8	59
2.1	65
1.9	65
2.5	59
4.0	64
1.9	65
1.9	59
2.9	50
1.3	63
2.3	60
1.4	64
1.2	64
1.1	65
1.5	59
0.8	64
1.5	50
1.5	60
0.5	64
0.5	65
3.3	60
0.4	65
0.4	65
0.7	65
0.5	65
0.6	64
1.0	58
0.4	64
0.5	60
1.5	49
0.1	65
0.9	54
0.1	64
0.5	62
0.3	60
1.1	49
1.2	49
0.7	59
3.3	59
2.7	64
1.7	50
3.3	56
3.2	59
1.2	49
3.7	59
2.3	64
2.2	64
2.9	33
6.8	10
2.0	72
4.5	63
4.9	49
0.8	49
0.7	50
0.5	49
4.1	52
2.2	60
3.6	37
1.9	64
0.4	49
0.6	49
0.5	49
1.7	64
2.5	40
2.0	42
2.1	25
0.2	49
2.9	52
3.5	43
1.9	60
2.0	59
2.1	59
3.2	44
2.9	49
1.3	33
0.2	44
1.3	42
3.4	52
1.5	28
3.2	43
0.9	64
0.8	33
2.3	49
2.1	52
1.0	33
0.7	33
2.7	49
1.0	64
1.0	64
0.2	44
1.8	60
2.7	49
1.1	59
1.9	53
2.8	43
3.5	43
3.3	28
2.7	43
4.4	28
2.0	52
2.2	49
2.0	49
0.9	60
0.9	64
0.3	39
1.2	30
2.2	49
0.8	64
0.5	33
5.4	10
0.7	33
0.1	60
3.4	23
2.0	59
1.4	60
1.0	60
1.1	59
2.7	40
1.0	59
1.2	59
1.7	49
1.3	20
2.6	43
0.2	33
0.4	30
3.1	36
0.9	60
0.3	64
0.5	64
0.9	60
0.4	33
0.2	63
0.6	63
1.2	24
2.9	10
0.6	60
0.5	28
0.7	59
1.4	49
1.5	49
2.1	43
1.7	49
2.4	8
0.6	59
1.5	49
0.3	33
0.8	24
2.0	43
0.2	27
0.2	28
0.3	60
0.5	60
0.1	60
2.1	43
0.4	59
0.4	56
0.8	20
3.3	28
2.4	36
3.1	28
0.3	59
0.3	59
3.9	13
1.9	37
1.8	43
3.1	41
0.2	60
2.3	43
0.3	59
1.0	52
3.3	2
0.1	59
1.2	41
1.8	33
1.8	39
0.9	16
1.2	49
1.7	43
2.5	37
2.3	41
3.6	35
0.5	52
1.6	36
0.8	49
1.1	45
1.3	43
0.8	49
1.3	43
0.7	49
0.8	47
0.3	20
0.7	49
2.3	37

Compared With Other Events

Station records per event

Station records in Heat wave in Japan and 4 other countries, 30 November to 7 December 2018 compared with similar events
Heat wave in United States and Mexico, 16 January to 14 February 2024	9,869 records
Heat wave in United States, 28 January to 24 February 2026	6,528 records
Heat wave in United States and Mexico, 24 May to 19 June 2020	5,047 records
Heat wave in United States and Mexico, 26 March to 17 April 2021	3,669 records
Heat wave in Germany and 49 other countries, 18 December 2021 to 15 January 2022	3,626 records
Heat wave in Japan and 4 other countries, 30 November to 7 December 2018 (this event)	348 records

Every Record Set

20 of 348

Every record set or tied during Heat wave in Japan and 4 other countries, 30 November to 7 December 2018, in date order
Date	Station	Record	Value	Margin	Years stood	Significance
2018-12-02	Sunwu	Record high maximum temperature	4.9 C (40.8 F)	2.3 C (4.1 F)	60	38 of 100 (Notable)
2018-12-04	Tokushima	Record high maximum temperature	26.7 C (80.1 F)	4.5 C (8.1 F)	66	49 of 100 (Notable)
2018-12-04	Wakayama	Record high maximum temperature	25.2 C (77.4 F)	3.3 C (5.9 F)	66	45 of 100 (Notable)
2018-12-04	Fukuoka	Record high maximum temperature	26.0 C (78.8 F)	3.9 C (7.0 F)	65	45 of 100 (Notable)
2018-12-04	Shimonoseki	Record high maximum temperature	26.2 C (79.2 F)	5.9 C (10.6 F)	30	43 of 100 (Notable)
2018-12-04	Nara	Record high maximum temperature	24.9 C (76.8 F)	3.2 C (5.8 F)	59	43 of 100 (Notable)
2018-12-04	Iizuka	Record high maximum temperature	25.3 C (77.5 F)	3.2 C (5.8 F)	65	43 of 100 (Notable)
2018-12-04	Toyama	Record high maximum temperature	24.8 C (76.6 F)	3.2 C (5.8 F)	65	42 of 100 (Notable)
2018-12-04	Nagano	Record high minimum temperature	9.5 C (49.1 F)	5.3 C (9.5 F)	59	42 of 100 (Notable)
2018-12-04	Osaka	Record high maximum temperature	24.5 C (76.1 F)	2.8 C (5.0 F)	59	42 of 100 (Notable)
2018-12-04	Hirado	Record high maximum temperature	23.1 C (73.6 F)	2.1 C (3.8 F)	65	41 of 100 (Notable)
2018-12-04	Ueno	Record high maximum temperature	22.1 C (71.8 F)	1.9 C (3.4 F)	65	40 of 100 (Notable)
2018-12-04	Hamada	Record high maximum temperature	25.8 C (78.4 F)	2.5 C (4.5 F)	59	40 of 100 (Notable)
2018-12-04	Tsu	Record high minimum temperature	13.6 C (56.5 F)	4.0 C (7.2 F)	64	39 of 100 (Notable)
2018-12-04	Yonago	Record high maximum temperature	23.5 C (74.3 F)	1.9 C (3.4 F)	65	39 of 100 (Notable)
2018-12-04	Kobe	Record high maximum temperature	22.6 C (72.7 F)	1.9 C (3.4 F)	59	39 of 100 (Notable)
2018-12-04	Matsuyama	Record high maximum temperature	25.2 C (77.4 F)	2.9 C (5.2 F)	50	39 of 100 (Notable)
2018-12-04	Naze	Record high maximum temperature	28.6 C (83.5 F)	1.3 C (2.3 F)	63	39 of 100 (Notable)
2018-12-04	Miyako	Record high maximum temperature	22.8 C (73.0 F)	1.4 C (2.5 F)	64	38 of 100 (Notable)
2018-12-04	Kochi	Record high minimum temperature	15.6 C (60.1 F)	1.2 C (2.2 F)	64	38 of 100 (Notable)

The daily ledgers keep a limited number of records per day, so this list has 20 of the 348 records the event counts. The counts above use the full total.

Download the Data

Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Climatology Network Daily (GHCN-Daily). Records are computed by World Extreme Weather Monitor and are not official NOAA products. (US Government open data (NOAA NCEI)) Data as of 2026-10-12. Events are found by this site from station records and are not official designations. Records are provisional until reprocessed.

Date	Records
2018-12-02	40
2018-12-03	96
2018-12-04	151
2018-12-05	24
2018-12-06	30
2018-12-07	7

Margin (C)	Years the old record stood
4.5	66
3.3	66
3.9	65
5.9	30
3.2	59
3.2	65
3.2	65
5.3	59
2.8	59
2.1	65
1.9	65
2.5	59
4.0	64
1.9	65
1.9	59
2.9	50
1.3	63
2.3	60
1.4	64
1.2	64
1.1	65
1.5	59
0.8	64
1.5	50
1.5	60
0.5	64
0.5	65
3.3	60
0.4	65
0.4	65
0.7	65
0.5	65
0.6	64
1.0	58
0.4	64
0.5	60
1.5	49
0.1	65
0.9	54
0.1	64
0.5	62
0.3	60
1.1	49
1.2	49
0.7	59
3.3	59
2.7	64
1.7	50
3.3	56
3.2	59
1.2	49
3.7	59
2.3	64
2.2	64
2.9	33
6.8	10
2.0	72
4.5	63
4.9	49
0.8	49
0.7	50
0.5	49
4.1	52
2.2	60
3.6	37
1.9	64
0.4	49
0.6	49
0.5	49
1.7	64
2.5	40
2.0	42
2.1	25
0.2	49
2.9	52
3.5	43
1.9	60
2.0	59
2.1	59
3.2	44
2.9	49
1.3	33
0.2	44
1.3	42
3.4	52
1.5	28
3.2	43
0.9	64
0.8	33
2.3	49
2.1	52
1.0	33
0.7	33
2.7	49
1.0	64
1.0	64
0.2	44
1.8	60
2.7	49
1.1	59
1.9	53
2.8	43
3.5	43
3.3	28
2.7	43
4.4	28
2.0	52
2.2	49
2.0	49
0.9	60
0.9	64
0.3	39
1.2	30
2.2	49
0.8	64
0.5	33
5.4	10
0.7	33
0.1	60
3.4	23
2.0	59
1.4	60
1.0	60
1.1	59
2.7	40
1.0	59
1.2	59
1.7	49
1.3	20
2.6	43
0.2	33
0.4	30
3.1	36
0.9	60
0.3	64
0.5	64
0.9	60
0.4	33
0.2	63
0.6	63
1.2	24
2.9	10
0.6	60
0.5	28
0.7	59
1.4	49
1.5	49
2.1	43
1.7	49
2.4	8
0.6	59
1.5	49
0.3	33
0.8	24
2.0	43
0.2	27
0.2	28
0.3	60
0.5	60
0.1	60
2.1	43
0.4	59
0.4	56
0.8	20
3.3	28
2.4	36
3.1	28
0.3	59
0.3	59
3.9	13
1.9	37
1.8	43
3.1	41
0.2	60
2.3	43
0.3	59
1.0	52
3.3	2
0.1	59
1.2	41
1.8	33
1.8	39
0.9	16
1.2	49
1.7	43
2.5	37
2.3	41
3.6	35
0.5	52
1.6	36
0.8	49
1.1	45
1.3	43
0.8	49
1.3	43
0.7	49
0.8	47
0.3	20
0.7	49
2.3	37

Margin (C)	Years the old record stood
4.5	66
3.3	66
3.9	65
5.9	30
3.2	59
3.2	65
3.2	65
5.3	59
2.8	59
2.1	65
1.9	65
2.5	59
4.0	64
1.9	65
1.9	59
2.9	50
1.3	63
2.3	60
1.4	64
1.2	64
1.1	65
1.5	59
0.8	64
1.5	50
1.5	60
0.5	64
0.5	65
3.3	60
0.4	65
0.4	65
0.7	65
0.5	65
0.6	64
1.0	58
0.4	64
0.5	60
1.5	49
0.1	65
0.9	54
0.1	64
0.5	62
0.3	60
1.1	49
1.2	49
0.7	59
3.3	59
2.7	64
1.7	50
3.3	56
3.2	59
1.2	49
3.7	59
2.3	64
2.2	64
2.9	33
6.8	10
2.0	72
4.5	63
4.9	49
0.8	49
0.7	50
0.5	49
4.1	52
2.2	60
3.6	37
1.9	64
0.4	49
0.6	49
0.5	49
1.7	64
2.5	40
2.0	42
2.1	25
0.2	49
2.9	52
3.5	43
1.9	60
2.0	59
2.1	59
3.2	44
2.9	49
1.3	33
0.2	44
1.3	42
3.4	52
1.5	28
3.2	43
0.9	64
0.8	33
2.3	49
2.1	52
1.0	33
0.7	33
2.7	49
1.0	64
1.0	64
0.2	44
1.8	60
2.7	49
1.1	59
1.9	53
2.8	43
3.5	43
3.3	28
2.7	43
4.4	28
2.0	52
2.2	49
2.0	49
0.9	60
0.9	64
0.3	39
1.2	30
2.2	49
0.8	64
0.5	33
5.4	10
0.7	33
0.1	60
3.4	23
2.0	59
1.4	60
1.0	60
1.1	59
2.7	40
1.0	59
1.2	59
1.7	49
1.3	20
2.6	43
0.2	33
0.4	30
3.1	36
0.9	60
0.3	64
0.5	64
0.9	60
0.4	33
0.2	63
0.6	63
1.2	24
2.9	10
0.6	60
0.5	28
0.7	59
1.4	49
1.5	49
2.1	43
1.7	49
2.4	8
0.6	59
1.5	49
0.3	33
0.8	24
2.0	43
0.2	27
0.2	28
0.3	60
0.5	60
0.1	60
2.1	43
0.4	59
0.4	56
0.8	20
3.3	28
2.4	36
3.1	28
0.3	59
0.3	59
3.9	13
1.9	37
1.8	43
3.1	41
0.2	60
2.3	43
0.3	59
1.0	52
3.3	2
0.1	59
1.2	41
1.8	33
1.8	39
0.9	16
1.2	49
1.7	43
2.5	37
2.3	41
3.6	35
0.5	52
1.6	36
0.8	49
1.1	45
1.3	43
0.8	49
1.3	43
0.7	49
0.8	47
0.3	20
0.7	49
2.3	37