The first "kogarashi" northerly wind blew Tuesday through Tokyo and the Kinki region as a rapidly developing low pressure system moved northeast over the Pacific, the Meteorological Agency said.
Kogarashi -- considered a harbinger of winter -- is defined as a northerly gust of more than 28.8 kph registered in October or November.
The first kogarashi came 11 days later than last year in Tokyo and six days later than last year in the Kinki region, the agency said.
Northerly winds blew throughout the archipelago Tuesday, prompting the agency to issue warnings for rough seas and snow storms.
The first kogarashi in Tokyo was measured at 56 kph shortly after 7 a.m., while those in Kobe, Wakayama and Maizuru, Kyoto Prefecture, were 90 kph, 87 kph and 68 kph, respectively, according to the agency.
In northern Japan, a cold air mass with temperatures of minus 30 degrees located at an altitude of 5,400 meters brought snow storms to many areas, and the severe cold weather was expected to continue throughout today.