The season's first frost was observed Saturday morning in Hakodate, Hokkaido, breaking the previous record for the earliest frost set 103 years ago, said the Hakodate Marine Observatory.
The observatory said the previous record was set here on Sept. 26, 1898. This year, frost was recorded 25 days earlier than in an average year and 24 days earlier than last year.
As cold air streamed in over Hokkaido on Saturday morning, the overnight low temperature in Hakodate dropped to 3.7 C, nearly 9 degrees cooler than usual, under clear skies, according to the observatory.