The year's first warm gale, indicating the arrival of spring, blew into Tokyo and some Sea of Japan coastal areas Monday, the Meteorological Agency said. The spring wind arrived 12 days earlier than last year.
A maximum wind velocity of 77.04 kph was recorded in Tokyo, 69.48 kph in Chiba Prefecture and 66.6 kph in Yokohama. In the Sea of Japan region, the gusts peaked at 67.68 kph in Toyama and 69.48 kph in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture.
The first wind of spring had blown through southern Kyushu on Feb. 8, a month earlier than last year.