Weekly Weather Forecast: Midweek rain, north stays unsettled

Northern Japan: unsettled all week, colder Saturday

Northern Japan stays unsettled through the whole week. Rain is in the forecast from Tuesday 3 to Friday 6 November, and Saturday 7 brings brief snow or rain, so take an umbrella through Saturday and be ready for snow as well. A stationary front on Thursday 5 and a warm front on Friday 6 keep the skies changeable. Sunday 8 and Monday 9 are cloudy. Saturday is the day to watch for the cold, with Sapporo forecast at a maximum of 5°C and a minimum of 1°C.

Eastern Japan: wettest on Thursday, then sun and cloud

Eastern Japan turns wet in the middle of the week and settles afterwards. After a sunny-then-cloudy Tuesday 3, cloud brings occasional rain on Wednesday 4. Thursday 5 is the wettest day, with rain that occasionally stops as a low-pressure system moves northeast, so take an umbrella on both days. From Friday 6 to Monday 9, sun and cloud alternate, including the weekend of Saturday 7 and Sunday 8. Saturday 7 is noticeably cooler than Friday 6, with Tokyo's maximum forecast at 17°C.

Western Japan: rain only on Thursday, cooler weekend

Western Japan sees rain on only one day this week. Tuesday 3 and Wednesday 4 are sunny or cloudy, and Thursday 5 brings brief rain under cloud, so take an umbrella that day. From Friday 6 to Monday 9, sun and cloud alternate with no rain in the forecast, including the weekend of Saturday 7 and Sunday 8, which makes it easier to plan outdoor activities. The weekend is cooler, though: Osaka's maximum temperature on Saturday 7 is forecast at 16°C, lower than on Friday 6.